Gene Hackman, one of the most celebrated actors, was recently found dead along with his wife and their dog. What was initially thought to be an accidental death turned into a story of extreme distress and sorrow.
In February, the legendary Hollywood star passed away at 95. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, he was discovered dead with his 65-year-old wife, Betsy Arakawa, and one of their pets. Now, it has been found out that that the death of the couple occurred nearly a week apart.
According to official sources, Arakawa passed away on or around February 11. Her death was apparently from a rare virus that mice carried. Meanwhile, Hackman, who had Alzheimer’s, is said to have passed away on February 18 from heart disease. According to authorities, Hackman could not have even been aware that his wife had passed away.
Thyroid medication pills were discovered surrounding Arakawa. She was found lying on the restroom floor with her head next to a space heater. Hackman was found in a room near his kitchen with his cane and sunglasses by his side. It is assumed that he took a fall there. It is possible that he died of a sudden spike in heartbeat due to a fall.
AUTOPSY REPORT: Gene Hackman, 95, died of heart disease w/ Alzheimer’s contributing, ~1 week after wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, died of hantavirus in their Santa Fe home. Found Feb 26 with their dog; no foul play suspected. pic.twitter.com/v56XZDNwrQ
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 7, 2025
A lawyer has now asserted that any inheritance be given to Hackman’s three children from his former marriage to Faye Maltese. It may be affected by the investigation into the deaths. Hackman and Arakawa didn’t have any kids.
If the pair had passed away within 120 hours of one another, their deaths would have been deemed “simultaneous.” This is a condition under New Mexico law. This may have changed the course of inheritance proceedings. These provisions might not be applicable now because Hackman’s pacemaker showed activity a few days later.
“In many states, including New Mexico, there is a sort of presumptive triggering deadline of five days before you’re considered having survived under the terms of most wills,” Kevin Holmes of Holmes Law Firm told Daily Mail.
Why the timing of Gene Hackman’s death will affect his $80 million fortune https://t.co/FHm2RXsd8u
— HELLO! (@hellomag) March 12, 2025
He continued that most married couples would leave their whole estate to one another. However, the date of any will or legal documents’ signature may be another crucial consideration, said John Budagher, an attorney at Budagher & Tann. He said any recent modifications might be questioned because of Hackman’s Alzheimer’s.
“If it’s more recent, that doesn’t mean it’s invalid,” he explained. “It just means it’s ripe for a potential challenge — especially if it’s doing something like leaving everything to a caretaker.”
He went on to say that the couple’s wills are not made public. There is a possibility that any will or trust might probably specify a timeframe for simultaneous death. It could differ from the 120-hour window specified by New Mexico state law.
