Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa both tragically passed away last month, with the legendary actor leaving behind an eye-watering $80 million (£62 million) fortune.
Officials announced earlier this month that the two-time Oscar winner Hackman, whose career in Hollywood spanned over four decades, had passed away from cardiovascular disease, while Alzheimer's disease also played a painful part in his passing.
It is believed that Arakawa, who was a classical pianist, had passed away a week earlier due to Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, while their dog also sadly lost its life due to starvation and dehydration, as its owners bodies were not discovered until some time after their death.
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It is speculated that Hackman, who appeared in classic films such as The French Connection and Bonnie and Clyde, had become isolated towards the end of his life due to his struggles with Alzheimer's disease.
In fact, the extent of his Alzheimer's was such that it is believed he likely didn't even know his wife of 34 years had passed away, while his stomach was also completely empty at the time of his death, which suggests he didn't eat anything in the week he was left on his own.
Hackman didn't have any children with Arakawa but did have three children with his late ex-wife Faye Maltese - Christopher, 65, Elizabeth, 62, and Leslie, 58. However, none were named in the actor's will, which has left the future of his fortune up in the air.
According to the BBC, the 95-year-old named Arakawa as his sole beneficiary in 1995, with the last update to the will in 2005.
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However, California attorney Tre Lovell also suggested to the BBC that the estate could default to Hackman's three children under succession laws, as long as there was no other beneficiary named.
"The estate will actually be probated in accordance with intestate succession laws and the children would be lawfully next in line to inherit," he said.
In order to inherit their father's fortune, Christopher, Elizabeth and Leslie will also need to prove that the will is invalid because Arakawa died before Hackman, which, despite some doubts about her actual date of death, is all but confirmed.
Her own will states that her estate should be left to Hackman but in the event that they die within 90 days of each other, then her money should go to a trust and later be donated to charity after covering medical expenses.
Topics: Gene Hackman
James Moorhouse