AceShowbiz - Even in death, Hollywood's reclusive star Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa remain in the public eye, as their bodies lie unclaimed in a New Mexico morgue over a month after their passing. The actor's the father of three kids: Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie.

The legendary actor and his wife were discovered lifeless in their Santa Fe home on February 26. Gene Hackman, 95, died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with advanced Alzheimer's contributing to his death.

Meanwhile, Betsy Arakawa, 65, succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease carried by rodents. Officials believe Arakawa passed away about a week before Hackman, with his pacemaker last showing activity on February 18, indicating an abnormal heart rhythm on the day he likely died.

The New Mexico Office of the Medical Examiner updates its list of unclaimed decedents every Monday, and as of March 24, Hackman and Arakawa's names were still on the list.

Reps for the office conveyed to TMZ that it's not unusual for bodies to remain unclaimed for several weeks, as families sometimes need time to finalize funeral arrangements. Additionally, a possible legal battle over Hackman's $80 million estate could be delaying this process.

Gene Hackman, who had a well-documented strained relationship with his three children from his first marriage to Faye Maltese, left his entire fortune to Betsy Arakawa in a will that had not been updated since 2005. In a similar move, Betsy left her estate to her husband in her own will.

Following Arakawa's death, the beneficiaries of Hackman's estate are uncertain, potentially leading to a legal dispute. Christopher Hackman, 65, has reportedly hired a high-powered attorney to navigate the complexities of his father's inheritance.

While Hackman's daughters, Leslie and Elizabeth, released a joint statement mourning their father's death, they did not mention their older brother Christopher. Leslie later disclosed to the Daily Mail that she hadn't spoken to her father and Arakawa for a few months before their deaths, though she claimed to have had a close relationship with her father.

Despite past tensions, the children expressed their sorrow, saying, "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."

Betsy Arakawa, a classical pianist, had no children of her own. Her assets were designated to a trust, which will cover her medical debts before being distributed to different charities.

As authorities continue to investigate, the partially mummified bodies of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa remain a somber reminder of their reclusive lifestyle and the challenges that can follow even in death.