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.
Newly emerged details in the case could thrust the Hackman family into a potential legal battle.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s final resting place is uncertain
Another legal battle could soon unfold as actor Hackman’s children wait for clarity about their late father’s final wishes. Hackman and Arakawa both passed away in February 2025 in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home, sparking questions about the burials of their remains and complex fortune issues.
Weeks after autopsies on Hackman and Arakawa were completed, it remains unclear whether the couple’s remains will be laid to rest in New Mexico, their decades-long home, or taken to California, where Hackman’s three children, Christopher, Elizabeth and Leslie, reside.
Hackman’s children could transport his remains to California
Estate planning expert Laura Cowan explained to the Daily Mail that the burial decision could be mired in legal complications.
“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 dynamic and logistics,” Cowan said.
“If Gene’s children disagree about what should happen to his body, and no written directive exists, things can get complicated. The dispute could end up in court, and a judge would decide based on state law and other factors,” she added.
Since Arakawa also passed away, Hackman’s children might determine where the legendary actor will be buried
Transporting remains across state lines is a common and legally accepted practice, said Cowan, but must be managed by licensed funeral homes.
“Most states have a hierarchy for making decisions if no written instructions are left or if the people nominated are no longer living,” Cowan explained.
“Since Mr. Hackman’s wife predeceased him, his living adult children would likely be next in line. If they agree, they likely have legal authority to determine how, when, and where he is buried.”
Bodycam footage showed the police arriving at the Hackman estate and running an investigation
Questions also linger regarding Betsy Arakawa’s burial arrangements, as she is survived by her 91-year-old mother, Yoshie Feaster, who lives in Hawaii and suffers from dementia. According to Feaster’s housekeeper, Keiko, Arakawa regularly contacted her mother, but had not called since October.
“She talked to a New Mexico policeman the other day,” Keiko said of Feaster on February 28. “But she has dementia, so she forgot already. I feel so sorry for her. She was very upset. But right now, she’s kind of normal.”
Cowan pointed out, “In that case, a close friend or other relative could petition the court for permission to make burial or cremation arrangements. Gene Hackman’s children do not automatically have authority over Betsy’s remains, but they may be able to petition for it—especially if no other close relatives are available or willing to do so.”
Hackman’s $80 million fortune’s fate will be decided after legal proceedings
Further complicating matters is the disposition of Hackman’s considerable fortune. The actor left his entire $80 million fortune to Arakawa, who was named as successor trustee. However, Arakawa’s earlier passing creates potential complications in distributing the assets.
It remains unclear whether Hackman’s three adult children from his previous marriage were mentioned in his will or stand to inherit from the estate.
In the wake of their passing, the Hackman family filed a temporary restraining order in Santa Fe court to block the public release of the couple’s autopsy reports and photographs taken at their residence by investigators. The Santa Fe judge approved their request.
New footage reveals the late couple was allegedly being followed by an unidentified man
Amid all the legal drama, newly released police bodycam footage reveals that Arakawa had expressed concern about being followed months before the couple’s deaths. Her hairstylist, identified as Christopher, told the police that Betsy appeared “frazzled” after two disturbing incidents involving an unknown man.
“She mentioned to me that there was a man that had parked outside of their gate and followed them,” Christopher told officers. “On two separate occasions. One occasion was when they went to White Rock. They went and had lunch there and the guy followed them from parked [outside of their gated community], followed them all the way to White Rock.”
He added, “[Arakawa] said, ‘Christopher, I’m surprised that security didn’t [know] how he got there… because when we left, I noticed that this car had followed us from the residence to White Rock.’”
On another occasion, the same man followed them to a different location, where he offered the Hackmans a bottle of wine, Betsy told Christopher. They declined. Betsy also told him that the man had “pulled out a folder of photos of her husband and wanted him to sign them.”
According to Christopher, Arakawa then approached the man and said, “[You] need to have more respect.” Christopher added, “He knew what [they] drove. That’s the scary part.”
Hackman’s home was awarded a restraining order by the police
The revealed footage was over two hours, which showed the police arriving at the Hackman estate and running an investigation. On March 13, lawyer Kurt Sommer filed a petition in Santa Fe District Court attempting to prevent officials from releasing further photos and footage from the Hackmans’ home, citing privacy concerns.
“Undersigned counsel cannot think of respective harm that would come to the State and County offices from respecting the discretion of Mr. Hackman’s and Mrs. Hackman-Arakawa’s right to privacy,” Sommer added, drawing parallels with previous celebrity cases, such as Kurt Cobain’s.
A temporary restraining order was awarded to Hackman’s estate, preventing the release of further images and autopsy results, pending a scheduled hearing on March 31.
Hackman and Arakawa were living in Santa Fe until their passing in February 2025
Hackman, a celebrated Oscar-winning actor, and Arakawa, a classical pianist, married in 1991. After departing Hollywood, the couple chose a quiet life away from the limelight, residing privately in a Santa Fe residence until their passing in February 2025.
According to the BBC, police believe Hackman passed away around February 18 at age 95 from severe heart disease, with advanced Alzheimer’s disease cited as a significant contributing factor.
Arakawa, 64, had passed away about a week earlier, on February 11, from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare respiratory disease transmitted by infected rodents. The couple’s bodies were discovered at home by authorities on February 26.
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