Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s bodies have yet to be claimed, Us Weekly can confirm.
According to the current list of unclaimed decedents from the Office of the Medical Investigator in New Mexico, Hackman and Arakawa’s names were on the spreadsheet as of Thursday, March 27. The list is updated every Monday and Friday, per the organization’s website.
The site encourages the next of kin to contact the office and speak with one of the investigators about the next steps in the release process, including how to obtain the death certificate and potential funeral assistance.
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TMZ was first to report.
Gene Hackman’s Will Leaves $80 Million to Late Wife Betsy Arakawa
Hackman was survived by his three children Christopher, 65, Elizabeth, 62, and Leslie, 58 — whom he shared with late ex-wife Faye Maltese. Besides her stepchildren, Arakawa’s sole surviving relative is her mother.
Us has reached out for comment.
Last month, Hackman and Arakawa were found dead at their Santa Fe home. He was 95 while the pianist was 65. One of the couple’s three dogs was also deceased at the scene.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy. He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us, he was always just Dad and Grandpa,” Hackman’s daughters and granddaughter told Us in a statement in February. “We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
The actor’s cause of death was later revealed as hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor. Arakawa’s death was ruled “natural” due to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The medical examiner’s office believed Arakawa likely died first with Hackman’s death estimated to occur a week later.
Earlier this month, Us confirmed that Hackman’s will, which hadn’t been updated since June 2005, left his entire estate to Arakawa. She was also named as Hackman’s successor trustee for his $80 million fortune. Hackman’s children were not listed in the will.
What to Know About Gene Hackman, Wife Betsy’s Deaths
After news broke of the state of Hackman’s will, his daughter, Elizabeth, asked authorities for the ashes of Hackman and Arakawa’s deceased pup, Zinna. According to footage from the sheriff’s department obtained by TMZ at the time, Elizabeth stated that she thought Zinna should be buried alongside Arakawa.
“I’m thinking, cremate the dog and bury it with Betsy,” Elizabeth said to a police officer who asked what she would like to do with the dog’s remains in March. “And if the dog was wearing a collar, can you save that for me?”
The officer agreed to save the collar for Elizabeth. It is unclear if the dog has been cremated since Elizabeth shared her wishes.
Us Weekly
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