Will Gene Hackman’s Death Affect His Kids’ Inheritance of 80 Million USD? What We Know About His Will So Far

Read on to find out if Gene Hackman’s time of death will impact his massive fortune.

Written by Sakshi Shelke , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 14, 2025 | 09:15 AM GMT | 19.8K

Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman (CC: Getty images)

Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death.

People around the world were shocked when news of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa's deaths surfaced. Many have questions about this tragedy, including their reportedly USD 80 million fortune.

Their fortune reportedly includes a USD 3.8 million home in Santa Fe, where both were found, per reports.

According to the outlet, the police report stated that Hackman, who had Alzheimer's, died from heart disease seven days after his wife passed away from Hantavirus, a rare disease caused by rodents.

According to Holmes Law Firm’s Kevin Holmes, the different death dates could impact the division of their massive fortune.

Holmes told the Daily Mail, “In a lot of states, including New Mexico, there's a kind of presumptive triggering deadline of five days before you're considered to have survived under the terms of most wills.”

If Hackman and Arakawa had passed within 120 hours of each other, their deaths would have been considered simultaneous under New Mexico law, potentially affecting how their estate is divided, per reports.

As of now, details about their wills remain unknown. However, since Arakawa passed before Hackman, her assets would reportedly transfer to him rather than her family and later be distributed according to his will.

One key factor to consider is the validity of Hackman’s will, which could be impacted by when it was signed due to his Alzheimer's diagnosis. Additionally, it remains unclear whether Arakawa and Hackman had signed a prenuptial agreement before their marriage.