Gene Hackman's secret unmarked grave after £62m inheritance snub

Daily Record

03-05-2025

Gene Hackman was laid to rest in an unmarked grave in New Mexico, beside his wife Betsy Arakawa, two months after his death.
Hollywood legend Gene Hackman has been laid to rest in an unmarked grave in New Mexico, following the tragic deaths of both himself and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, whose partially mummified bodies were discovered at their Santa Fe mansion in February.
The 95-year-old Oscar winner was buried beside Betsy, with a private ceremony organised by his children, despite the fact they were excluded from his will, according to MailOnline. The pair were only able to be buried two months after their deaths due to the extended nature of the investigation, with the funeral held quietly away from public view, reports the Irish Star.
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Hackman's £62 million estate has since become the subject of legal uncertainty. While his assets were originally intended to pass to successor trustees, those individuals have also since died, prompting an emergency court petition to appoint a temporary replacement, granted by a judge due to the unforeseen situation.
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Hackman's children, Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie, were not named as beneficiaries in his will, yet legal experts suggest they may still inherit his estate.
California lawyer Tre Lovell told the BBC, "The estate will actually be probated in accordance with intestate succession laws and the children would be lawfully next in line to inherit."
The beloved actor had previously opened up about the strain his career placed on his home life.
Speaking to the New York Times in 1989, he reflected: "You become very selfish as an actor. Even though I had a family, I took jobs that would separate us for three or four months at a time. The temptations in that, the money and recognition, it was too much for the poor boy in me."
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Authorities have now confirmed Hackman died from severe heart disease complicated by Alzheimer's, passing away just a week after Betsy.
His autopsy report provided a stark insight into his final days, with medical examiners detecting 5.3 mg/dL of acetone in his system, a level far higher than the typical maximum of 0.3 mg/dL.
The presence of such a high concentration suggests he may have stopped eating in the wake of his wife's death.
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The toxicology report revealed that acetone is "also a product of diabetic- and fasting-induced ketoacidosis as well as a metabolite following isopropanol ingestion," leading to the conclusion that Gene's elevated levels could point to extended fasting.
Further examination cleared up initial concerns about a possible gas leak, confirming that carbon monoxide levels were within normal limits.
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This brought relief to Gene's family, who had feared that such a leak may have contributed to both his and Betsy's untimely deaths.
Betsy's own passing was linked to a rare but deadly illness, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), which is contracted through contact with infected rodent droppings.
A health inspection of their home revealed a significant rodent infestation, with numerous deceased rodents found on the property, likely leading to her fatal exposure.