Actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s bodies have finally been claimed more than a month after their shocking passing.
March 27 reports claimed that since the couple met their unfortunate demise their bodies had gone unclaimed and were still at the morgue.
According to the New Mexico’s Office of the Medical Investigator website, their names were still listed until as of Friday, March 28. People magazine reports that their names have since been removed from the “Unclaimed Decedents” list.
The website states that “Unidentified Decedents” are people who have died and whose bodies have not been identified. Unclaimed decedents are people who have been identified where next of kin has not been located.
Officials told TMZ it’s not uncommon for bodies to go unclaimed, suggesting it could be due to the family making funeral arrangements.
The actor and his wife were found deceased in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home along with one of their three dogs on Feb. 26. A medical examiner determined that Arakawa likely died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome on Feb. 11, which is a flu-like virus linked to rodent droppings.
She reportedly died within a week before Gene, who died of heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease complications. Their dog Zinna is presumed to have died due to starvation and dehydration.
They share no children together, but Gene had three adult kids with his first wife, Maya Maltese, whom he was married to from 1956 to 1986. Neither his two daughters Elizabeth and Leslie or his son, Christopher, 63, who he had a strained relationship with, has publicly spoken out about their father’s passing.
Leslie, 57, told Daily Mail that she hadn’t spoken to her father in weeks but that they were “very close.”
As for Elizabeth, 61, it’s not clear where she stood with her father, but it appears she had a disdain for Gene’s wife. Bodycam footage obtained by People and taken on Feb. 27, Elizabeth documents her telling the police officer that she wanted the dog buried with her stepmother.
“I’m thinking cremate the dog and bury it with Betsy,” she reportedly said later asking, “And if the dog is wearing a collar, could you save that for me?”
Gene’s kids were not named in his will as beneficiaries of the $80 million estate. In fact, he revised it in 1995 where he named Arakawa as the sole beneficiary.
They shared three properties, one in Hawaii and two in New Mexico, all of which were registered under Arakawa’s name, collectively worth $11 million.
Arakawa’s will, on the under hand, stated that if she died before her husband, he would inherit her possessions. However, her will stipulated that if she and the “Under Suspicions” star and his wife died within 90 days of each other, her estate would be donated to charity.
Two weeks ago, TMZ reported that Christopher had hired a California trust and estate attorney named Andrew M. Katzenstein, hinting that he may try to challenge the will.
“A sad ending to a good life,” one person wrote under People’s Facebook post of the couples being removed from the unclaimed list.
Another said, “One of my favorite actors, ever. A very sad and unfortunate for both of them and their precious dog to pass away, not being checked on by Gene Hackman’s children, with his very frail health.”
But some believe the kids may have their own reasons for not having a relationship with their dad. One person said, “It’s because his kids are focused on his fortune. They obviously have their priorities straight. Not.”
Someone else said, “I hope they get it straightened out. He deserves a good funeral.”
The details surrounding the Hackmans’ death still trouble a lot of fans. New York Post reported on March 29 that the wife, who was a classical pianist, may have had a stalker. Her hairstylist, named Christopher, told police that a man followed them and approached them on two separate occasions.
While nothing has come of this strange man, Hackman’s estate was awarded temporary restraining order against The Office of the Medical Investigator. According to the site, the order says they are restrained “from disclosing through IPRA or other means, any and all photographs or videos containing images of the following: the body of Gene Hackman, the body of Betsy Arakawa-Hackman, the interior of Mr. and Mrs. Hackman’s residence.”
They also can not share “images of any deceased animals at the Hackman residence.” A hearing is set for March 31.
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