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The fate of Hollywood legend Gene Hackman’s $80 million estate has become a legal mystery after it was revealed that his three children were not named as beneficiaries in his will.
Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home in late February, sparking an investigation into the circumstances surrounding their deaths. With both now gone, questions remain about who will inherit the actor’s fortune.
A Tragic Passing
Medical reports confirm that Arakawa died first, around February 11, from a rare illness known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Hackman, who had been battling Alzheimer’s disease, passed away approximately a week later due to heart disease, with his deteriorating mental health listed as a contributing factor.
Chief medical investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell described Hackman as being in very poor health, adding:
“He had significant heart disease, and I think, ultimately, that is what resulted in his death.”
Hackman’s Will Raises Questions
Following his passing, legal documents revealed that Hackman had left his entire estate to Arakawa—his second wife, whom he married in 1991. The will was originally drafted in 1995 and last updated in 2005.
Notably, Hackman’s three children from his first marriage to Faye Maltese—Christopher (65), Elizabeth (62), and Leslie (58)—were not included in the will, leaving the future of the fortune uncertain.
Could Hackman’s Children Still Inherit?
Now that Arakawa has also passed, legal experts suggest that Hackman’s estate could fall under succession laws, meaning his children might still have a legal claim.
California attorney Tre Lovell explained:
“If there is no other beneficiary named and Hackman’s children can prove that Arakawa died before him, his will could be deemed invalid, and the estate would be distributed under intestate succession laws. In that case, his children would be next in line to inherit.”
The Complexity of Contesting a Will
Some legal experts believe contesting Hackman’s will may be difficult. Trust and family law attorney David A. Esquibias pointed out that since Hackman last updated his will nearly 20 years ago, it is much harder to challenge than a more recent document.
“Had the will been signed in 2024 or 2025, there would have been a greater likelihood of a legal challenge. But contesting a 20-year-old document is exponentially harder,” Esquibias noted.
Arakawa’s Will and the Future of the Estate
Arakawa’s will included an unusual clause—if she and Hackman passed away within 90 days of each other, her estate would be placed in a trust and later donated to charity. This raises an important question: will Hackman’s wealth be passed down to his children, or could it end up going to charity instead?
As legal proceedings move forward, the fate of Gene Hackman’s estimated $80 million fortune remains unclear. With no definitive beneficiary named, the final decision will likely depend on how courts interpret inheritance laws and the specific timing of their deaths. Whether his estate stays in the family or follows Arakawa’s charitable wishes remains to be seen.
