Gene Hackman's will has reportedly revealed that is not bequeathed to his children, paving the way for a potential inheritance battle. Instead, all assets were set to go to his wife Betsy, with no inheritance for his son Christopher, and daughters Leslie and Elizabeth.

In the event of Gene and Betsy dying within 90 days of each other, all of Betsy's money was set to go to charity. US reports indicate that Hackman's son has engaged a top lawyer specialising in will disputes, suggesting the possibility of a legal battle. Despite the lack of a prenuptial agreement with his wife, and claims from his children of a positive relationship, daughter Elizabeth said she hadn't spoken to her father in months before his passing.

Legal expert John Budagher, from the firm Budagher and Tann, highlighted the timeline of any will or legal documents' signings as critical. He said recent alterations could raise doubts, particularly due to Gene's Alzheimer's, stating: "If it's more recent, that doesn't mean it's invalid [but] it just means it's riper for a potential challenge - especially if it's doing something like leaving everything to a caretaker," reports the .

Recent reports indicate that the estate of Gene Hackman is moving to prevent the Santa Fe medical examiner and the local Sheriff's Office from releasing any videos, photographs or police bodycam footage related to the case.

Tragically, Hackman and his wife Betsy, 65, were found dead in different areas of their Santa Fe residence more than two weeks ago. Betsy succumbed to a rare respiratory illness approximately one week prior to her husband, while Hackman's battle with Alzheimer's disease has led authorities to contemplate whether he was unaware of his wife's demise.

In an emotional detail shared this week, it has emerged that played a pivotal role after his death.

Bear, a German Shepherd, and Nikita, an Akita-shepherd mix, were seen running towards and barking at paramedics before dashing away. Officers initially believed the dogs were seeking attention, only to eventually understand they were guiding them to where Hackman's body was discovered.

Betsy's death occurred on February 11 due to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a rare rat-born disease. Gene is believed to have died around February 18.

Offering insight into why the pair may have gone undiscovered for an extended period, forensic pathologist Dr Michael Baden stated: "I think what [happened] here is he didn't realise it and didn't understand that she was dead. He didn't understand that he needed to call 911."