What happens to Gene Hackman's $80M fortune? Family and legal experts weigh in

Gene Hackman, 95, the popular actor known for his roles in films like Mississippi Burning, The French Connection, and Welcome to Mooseport, was found dead in his New Mexico home. What’s shocking is that his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 66, a pianist, was also found dead in their apartment.

Gene and Arakawa lived a private life in Santa Fe. Arakawa was Hackman’s second wife; they married in 1991 and had no children. A maintenance worker grew suspicious when they didn’t answer their door, and that’s when the authorities discovered the couple’s deaths.

Two weeks after their deaths, the details of their wills were released. Now, the lingering question is: To whom does the $80 million fortune go?

Gene Hackman's $80M fortune goes to whom?

Gene Hackman was previously married to Faye Maltese, and they had three children together—Christopher, Leslie, and Elizabeth. After Gene’s death, when details of his will were revealed, it was found that he hadn’t updated it since 2005.

However, estate documents confirmed that Hackman had assigned his wife, Arakawa, as the sole beneficiary of his wealth, leaving out his three children.

It was later revealed that although Gene’s body was found on February 26, his pacemaker indicated that he had most likely died on February 18. Hackman also suffered from Alzheimer’s, which may have been a contributing factor in his death.

Betsy Arakawa’s death and her assets

According to investigators, Betsy died on February 11. She had been suffering from a rare disease called Hantavirus, which spreads through rodent feces. Her lifeless, decomposing body was found on the bathroom floor with scattered pills and a prescription bottle around her.

This suggests that Betsy died almost a week before Hackman. Since she was his caregiver, and Hackman suffered from Alzheimer’s, he may not have realized her death and could have been living with her body without knowing it.

Arakawa had a legal clause in her will stating that if she and Hackman died within 90 days of each other, their deaths would be considered simultaneous.

According to the clause, her assets would have gone to Gene Hackman. However, since he predeceased her, her assets were transferred to a trust. The trust will first cover her medical debts before donating the remaining assets to charities.

It is also known that Christopher, Gene Hackman’s son with Faye, has hired a high-profile attorney, signaling a potential legal battle since he is Hackman’s surviving heir.

Another key detail of the case is that attorney Julia Peters has been assigned as the executor of both wills. She has blocked the release of any details related to the couple’s deaths, including the autopsy report and bodycam footage.

Along with the bodies of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, authorities also found one of their three dogs dead, presumably due to starvation. Hackman and Betsy lived a private life and were married for thirty-four years.