Gene Hackman spent decades in Hollywood before retreating to Santa Fe with his wife, Betsy Arakawa. There, the reclusive couple built a life together. It was in the home they renovated that their lives tragically ended. Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were found dead inside their home in February 2025 by maintenance workers. The sudden deaths, initially deemed suspicious, painted a picture of a reclusive couple who may or may not have been estranged from the family. Almost two months after the discovery of their bodies, and more than a month after authorities announced they died roughly a week apart from different ailments, Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa have been laid to rest; their burials were private.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa have been buried

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa have officially been laid to rest. According to E! News, a private memorial for Hackman and Arakawa was held earlier this month. The news comes just after fans grew concerned that Hackman and Arakawa’s bodies appeared to sit at the medical examiner’s office, seemingly unclaimed, for weeks after their death. It is unclear who attended the burial, although Gene Hackman’s three children from a previous relationship were reportedly in town.

Both Arakawa and Hackman are buried at Santa Fe Memorial Gardens. The cemetery, located just nine miles from the house where Hackman and Arakawa died, is known for its unique landscaping. It is unclear why it took so long for the family to move forward with a memorial, but the long wait is a bit unusual. Arakawa is believed to have died on Feb. 12, with Hackman succumbing to a heart condition and Alzheimer’s Disease on Feb. 18.

Was the famed actor estranged from his children?

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa did not share children, but Hackman did have three children from a previous marriage. Over the years, Hackman spoke openly about his sometimes strained relationship with his children. In a now-resurfaced interview, he opened up about how his decision to prioritize work over childrearing led to some distance.

It remains unclear whether Hackman was estranged from his children at the time of his death, but plenty of evidence lends credence to the theory. Still, one of Hackman’s daughters initially insisted she and her father were close in a statement to the press following his death. Despite that, she admitted that she had not spoken to her father for months before his death, nor did she know his exact address, according to court documents. The three children were not named in Hackman’s will. He left his entire estate to Arakawa. Her will named Hackman as the beneficiary. It is unclear if the estate has been settled.