The world was left in shock at the end of February when the bodies of the two-time Oscar-winning star Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found in their Santa Fe mansion. Now, haunting surveillance footage has emerged showing Arakawa running errands hours before her death.
Arakawa’s Final Hours
New Mexico officials have released surveillance footage from around 4pm on February 11. The video shows Arakawa calmly using the self-checkout at a Sprouts Farmers Market in Santa Fe. Minutes later, Arakawa was spotted on additional footage at a nearby Shine Pet Food store.
Arakawa could be seen wearing blue jeans, a dark coat, a scarf, and a black face mask. She appeared to be alone and showed no signs of being in distress in any way.
Check out a portion of this surveillance footage below. You can watch the full version here.
Arakawa And Hackman’s Death
Once Arakawa returned home after running these errands, she is not believed to have left her mansion again. She is thought to have died sometime on February 12. That morning, she made her final phone call. It was later revealed that Arakawa had died from hantavirus, a rare flu-like virus transmitted through rodent droppings. Earlier this week, officials revealed that Hackman and Arakawa’s mansion was infested with rats, making it a “breeding ground” for hantavirus.
After Arakawa’s death, Hackman was alone in their home with her body for several days. He eventually succumbed to heart disease sometime around February 18. Hackman was suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s, and Arakawa was his primary caregiver in his final years. This means that Hackman may not have been fully aware that Arakawa had passed away in their home in his final days.
It wasn’t until February 26 that Hackman and Arakawa’s bodies were found. By then, their remains were mummified.
Hackman’s $80 Million Fortune
Hackman and Arakawa had been married since 1991. Though they had no children together, Hackman was the father of three kids from a previous marriage. Hackman left behind an $80 million fortune. His will, which he made in 1995, listed Arakawa as his sole inheritor.
Meanwhile, her will specifically stated that if she and Hackman were to die within 90 days of one another, their $80 million fortune should be donated to charity. It is believed that a legal battle is about to ensue that will see Hackman’s children try to get their hands on the money. Unfortunately for them, however, experts are saying that they may be facing an “uphill battle” if they choose to contest the will.
“Hackman’s children do not have an automatic right to inherit, and they can be left out of his will,” former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani told The Mirror.
“To challenge the will, Hackman’s children will have to argue that Hackman lacked capacity to understand the will, someone exerted undue influence over him, the will was a forgery or signed fraudulently, or the will did not meet the witness or other requirements of New Mexico law,” he continued. “That is an uphill legal battle, and not likely to be successful.”
Related: Gene Hackman, 95, Was ‘Murdered,’ Hollywood Legend Randy Quaid Alleges
Hackman retired from acting in 2004. He was rarely seen publicly in the final two decades of his life. Instead, he was reclusive in the mansion that he shared with Arakawa.
The surveillance footage of a seemingly carefree Arakawa running errands in her final hours serves as a reminder that we truly never know when our lives will end. God bless both Hackman and Arakawa, and may they each rest in peace.
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