The bodies of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, remain unclaimed more than a month after their deaths in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in February, TMZ reports.
According to officials who spoke with the news outlet, Hackman and Arakawa's remains have yet to be retrieved from the morgue. These officials noted that it's not unusual for bodies to go unclaimed for about a month while the family makes arrangements.
Hackman is survived by three children, two daughters and one son, from his prior marriage to Faye Maltese. His children were reportedly not named in their father's will, in which he left the entirety of his fortune and estate to his wife.
Hackman's daughters said in a statement after this death, "He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss."
Forensic experts concluded Hackman died of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer's disease on an empty stomach a week after a rare, rodent-borne disease took the life of his wife at their home in Santa Fe.
The partially mummified remains of Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb. 26 when maintenance and security workers showed up at the home and alerted police.
Authorities unraveled the mysterious circumstances and revealed that Arakawa likely died Feb. 11 at home from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease spread by infected rodent droppings.
Hackman, in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's, apparently was unaware that his wife was dead.
Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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