2 weeks Ago By Jailene Cuevas , Mia O'Hare
The contents of legendary actor Gene Hackman's substantial will have been unveiled , potentially setting the stage for a contentious legal dispute. Last month, Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were tragically discovered deceased in their New Mexico residence, along with one of their dogs. The unusual circumstances surrounding their deaths prompted an investigation to determine what befell the Hollywood star.
It was later confirmed that the couple passed away nearly a week apart, with Hackman possibly unaware of his wife's death due to his Alzheimer's disease. Official findings revealed that Betsy, 65, succumbed to a rare virus transmitted by rats around Feb. 11, while Hackman is believed to have died from heart disease on Feb.
18. Betsy was found near a space heater on the bathroom floor, surrounded by thyroid medication pills. Hackman, 95, was discovered dead in a room near his kitchen after an apparent fall.
One of their dogs, Zinna, was found dead in a crate, while their German Shepherd named Bear and another dog, Nikita, were found roaming their 12-acre property. Although Hackman and Betsy did not have children together, the actor has three children - son Christopher Allen, 65, and daughters Leslie Anne, 58, and Elizabeth Jean, 62 - from his previous marriage to Faye Maltese, reports the Mirror . In the wake of the heart-wrenching double demise, shocking details have come to light concerning Gene's breathtaking $80 million legacy left to his spouse Betsy.
Acting as the successor trustee of his trust, Betsy's inheritance raises speculation about what, if anything, was bequeathed to Gene's offspring, with worries over a potential legal clash emerging. A legal expert expressed to Daily Mail the turmoil that might have ensued had Betsy outlived her husband: "If he died first and she [Betsy] had survived, it would've been World War III," the expert claimed. "His kids would've probably gone crazy.
" It has come to light that Betsy's own testamentary plans involve channeling her estate into a trust for charity causes and resolving health care bills. Gene is said to have endorsed the latest version of his will on June 7, 2005; however, the timeline of his Alzheimer's diagnosis remains a mystery. A second attorney has suggested that an ongoing probe into the couple's tragic passing could impact any fortunes meant for Gene's children.
State law in New Mexico introduces another twist—if both had perished within 120 hours of one another, they would have been considered to have died 'simultaneously', potentially shifting the outcome regarding their legacies. Nevertheless, evidence from Gene's pacemaker indicates activity after his wife's death, potentially sidelining this rule from affecting their inheritances. Kevin Holmes, legal expert from Holmes Law Firm, dished out some insights to Mail Online about wills and inheritance laws: "In a lot of states, including New Mexico, there's a kind of presumptive triggering deadline of five days before you're considered having survived under the terms of most wills.
" He pointed out that it's quite possible for any wills or trusts to specify a different timeline for simultaneous death apart from the typical 120-hour period defined in New Mexico state legislation. Yet John Budagher, an attorney with Budagher and Tann, mentioned another crucial aspect which hinges on when any will or legal papers were executed. He highlighted that recent amendments could be subject to scrutiny if they occurred after Hackman's Alzheimer's diagnosis.
"If it's more recent, that doesn't mean it's invalid," he posited. "It just means it's riper for a potential challenge - especially if it's doing something like leaving everything to a caretaker." DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.
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