More than two months after his death, Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman has been quietly buried in an unmarked grave in New Mexico, next to his wife Betsy Arakawa. The funeral was arranged by his children, who were excluded from his will and may miss out on his estimated £62 million fortune.
Hackman's will named several trustees, but all had predeceased him without being replaced. An emergency petition was filed to appoint a temporary trustee, which a judge approved. However, California lawyer Tre Lovell told the BBC that under intestate succession laws, Hackman's children could still inherit the estate by default.
Hackman died of severe heart disease complicated by Alzheimer's disease, a week after his wife died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. His autopsy revealed elevated acetone levels, suggesting he may have stopped eating after her death.
In a 1989 interview, Hackman reflected on the impact of his career on his family, saying acting made him selfish and led to long separations from his loved ones.
