Over two months after Gene Hackman was found dead in his Santa Fe home, The Crimson Tide actor was secretly laid to rest in an unmarked grave next to his beloved wife Betsy Arakawa.

According to the MailOnline, Hackman's final resting place is in New Mexico and his final farewell was orchestrated by his children who were excluded from his will and potentially missed out on his £62 million fortune.

The Oscar-winner's vast wealth has been at the centre of controversy since his tragic death was first announced. According to his will, the estate was to be entrusted to a number of trustees, however, they had all died and their names had not been updated. An emergency petition was filed to put a temporary trustee in place, which was approved by judge due to the unforeseen circumstance.

Despite Hackman's snub to his children in the will, it's been revealed they might still inherit his estate by default. Tre Lovell, a lawyer from California, told the BBC that "The estate will actually be probated in accordance with intestate succession laws and the children would be lawfully next in line to inherit."

Gene Hackman candidly discussed the impact of his profession on his family in a 1989 interview with the New York Times, saying, "You become very selfish as an actor. Even though I had a family, I took jobs that would separate us for three or four months at a time. The temptations in that, the money and recognition, it was too much for the poor boy in me."

In a heart-wrenching turn of events, the completion of an exhaustive investigation meant delaying a family's burial for two months following their passing, according to Irish Star, which also reports that the funerals were carried out under extreme privacy.

Officials have now ascertained that Gene Hackman succumbed to severe heart disease, exacerbated by Alzheimer's complications, just a week after his spouse's untimely death.

Details from Gene Hackman's autopsy report, revealed by investigators, paint a sad picture of his final days, especially noting acetone found in his digestive system, implying he may have ceased eating after the loss of his beloved Betsy, whom he relied on heavily.

Sources indicate that Gene Hackman's body displayed an acetone concentration of 5.3 mg/dL at the time of his death, significantly higher than normal blood levels, which typically peak around 0.3 mg/dL, hinting at a potentially extended fast prior to his passing.

Tragically, Besty succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a fatal disease spread through contact with infected rodent waste. A comprehensive health inspection later revealed several dead rodents across their property, which likely led to her contracting the lethal disease.