The sudden passing of Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, in Santa Fe has sparked a debate over their final wishes and a substantial inherited fortune.
Gene Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 64, both died in February 2025, leaving behind an $80 million estate and a complicated legal situation regarding their remains. Questions arise over where their bodies will be laid to rest, amid ongoing investigations and potential estate disputes.
Details regarding the couple's final resting place have become murky following their deaths and the completion of autopsies weeks after their passing. Their bodies were discovered at their multi-million-dollar Santa Fe home on February 26, forcing their family into a legal quandary over burial decisions. "If his children wanted his remains handled in California, and he left no legally binding burial or cremation instructions, what happens next depends on a combination of state laws, family dynamics and logistics," explained estate planning attorney Laura Cowan.
Hackman’s children—Christopher, 65, Elizabeth, 62, and Leslie, 58—are unable to agree on their father's burial arrangements without clear directives from him. Compounding the challenge is the fact that Hackman's estate is entangled with Arakawa's, who passed away roughly a week earlier from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome on February 11. Also uncertain is her final wish regarding the disposition of her remains, as she is survived by her 91-year-old mother in Hawaii, who suffers from dementia.
The issue is complicated further because while Hackman willed his entire fortune to Arakawa, after her passing, complications arise since it remains unclear whether Hackman's children will receive anything from the estate.
According to documents obtained, District Judge Maria Sanchez-Gagne has approved Avalon Trust, LLC as a temporary successor in managing their estate, which is in limbo following the deaths. The family has also filed a temporary restraining order in Santa Fe to block the release of autopsy reports and photographs from the site, a request that was granted by a judge.
As the legal battle looms, concerns about the couple's remains linger. It is essential to figure out who will handle the logistics concerning burial or cremation. One option, according to Cowan, may involve one of Hackman's children petitioning the court for authority to make these decisions regarding Arakawa's remains if no other close relatives are available.
In a tragic turn, weeks earlier, police had received peculiar reports that Arakawa felt they were being followed. In interviews, her hairstylist reported instances where an unknown man parked outside their residence and followed them, leading to heightened fears. Although they lived a secluded life, speculations around their safety had previously emerged.
As the investigation by authorities continues, the future of the Hackman estate is uncertain. It remains to be seen whether the children will assert any claim to their father’s assets, especially without clear legal instructions or documents pertaining to their bequest.
Hackman's legacy, built during a celebrated Hollywood career, now paints a picture of complex family dynamics as his children navigate their father's final wishes. The interesting twist is that all their estate properties—valued at approximately $11 million—are in Arakawa’s name, as she was the sole beneficiary of his trust and estate.
The couple’s Santa Fe home, where their bodies were found, is reported at a valuation of $3.8 million. Moreover, they possessed a commercial real estate property in Honolulu that surpasses $6 million, in addition to a smaller land parcel also in New Mexico valued at approximately $1 million. Even with Hackman’s estimated net worth of $80 million, the arrangement raises eyebrows, particularly given the children’s standing in the will.
The Hackman siblings, in contrast to their father’s legacy as a distinguished actor, literally face the daunting task ahead of negotiating a relationship tainted by uncertainty over their inheritance. While Hackman famously retreated to Santa Fe in the 1980s to escape Hollywood's glare, his remarkable life is marred by the complex aftermath of he and his wife’s untimely demise, and the struggle for closure amid legal proceedings.
As of now, their fates seem intertwined, forever defining Hackman's enduring legacy amid the shadows cast by legal confrontations and familial disputes, leaving industry watchers, fans, and friends with many more questions than answers.
