Gene Hackman was laid to rest in New Mexico, two months after his death, next to his wife Betsy Arakawa. But his children, who made the arrangement, laid him in an unmarked grave
Gene Hackman’s burial details were finally revealed as he was laid to rest after he and his wife were found dead and partially mummified in their mansion in Santa Fe, New Mexico in February.
At the age of 95, Hackman’s final resting place is in New Mexico, where he lies next to his spouse Betsy Arakawa, but his grave was left unmarked. His final farewell was orchestrated by his children who were excluded from his will, as reported by the MailOnline.
Hackman’s substantial £62m million fortune was the centre of controversy. Initially, his estate was to be transitioned to successor trustees, who have also since deceased. An emergency petition to temporarily shift the successor trustee was filed and approved by a judge due to the unforeseen circumstance.
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Upon the sudden demise of his wife, there’s uncertainty regarding the inheritance of Hackman’s assets; notably, his children, —Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie Hackma, were not named as beneficiaries.
Despite being overlooked in the testament, they could potentially be regarded as rightful heirs by default. According to Tre Lovell, a California lawyer speaking with 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.”
Gene openly spoke about the tensions between his acting career and home life, revealing to the New York Times back in 1989, “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.”
The extensive nature of the investigation delayed their burial, rendering them unable to be laid to rest until two full months after their passing, with the funeral proceedings being conducted in strict privacy, reports Irish Star.
Authorities have now confirmed that Hackman passed away due to severe heart disease worsened by Alzheimer’s complications, a cruel week following his better half’s departure.
The particulars extracted from Gene’s autopsy report offer a glimpse into his sombre last days, particularly noting the presence of acetone within his digestive system. This suggests that in the aftermath of Betsy’s death, whom he deeply depended on, he may have abstained from eating right up to his own end.
According to sources, Gene’s body harboured an acetone level of 5.3 mg/dL—a stark contrast to the nominal peak blood levels typically around 0.3 mg/dL—pointing to a prolonged period of fasting before his death.
Sadly, Besty fell prey to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a lethal disease transmitted through contact with contaminated rodent waste. A thorough health inspection subsequently uncovered numerous deceased rodents scattered across their property, which likely resulted in her exposure to the deadly illness.