Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s Bodies Remain Unclaimed Over a Month After Deaths

The late actor and his wife, who died of natural causes in February, are at the center of ongoing privacy, estate, and investigative concerns.

Gene Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found deceased in their Santa Fe home on February 26, with deaths ruled as natural causes—Arakawa from hantavirus and Hackman from heart disease with Alzheimer’s complications.
Their bodies remain unclaimed over a month later, with officials suggesting family may still be finalizing funeral arrangements.
Legal disputes are expected over Hackman’s $80 million estate, which was left to Arakawa in his outdated 2005 will, potentially excluding his three children.
Reports of a stalker who allegedly followed the couple before their deaths continue to raise questions, though no evidence of foul play has been found.
A temporary court order blocks the release of bodycam footage showing the couple’s bodies, reflecting ongoing privacy concerns from the family.