New details about Gene Hackman's death could impact his estate

SANTA FE, N.M. -- New details about the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife could impact how his estate is handled, according to officials.

Authorities have offered a new timeline about when Betsy Arakawa died, which could play a role in where Hackman's fortune goes.

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Officials now say Betsy called a medical service the morning after she was previously thought to have died.

The Santa Fe sheriff says early February 12, she called Cloudberry, a medical concierge service with credentialed doctors.

"That would indicate to me that she was seeking medical advice or medical help, and may have not been feeling well," said Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza.

A Cloudberry doctor described that call as an inquiry about an esoteric treatment, saying there were no signs of breathing issues or distress. When the office called back twice, they said they never heard back.

Investigators say Betsy died of hantavirus, which is a rare illness transmitted through rodents.

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She was last seen publicly on Feb. 11 as she was picking up a prescription at a pharmacy while wearing a mask.

She was previously thought to have died that night, as several emails she received went unopened and unanswered.

As for Gene Hackman, he is believed to have died a week later of advanced heart disease with Alzheimer's complications.

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That timeline could now play a factor in the couple's wills.

Gene left his $80-million estate to his wife, and did not name his children.

However, Betsy left her estate to charity.

"If Betsy passes away first, and then Gene, his will in a sense would become void because the individual he wanted his items to be passed to no longer exists in the eyes of the law," said ABC News legal contributor Brian Buckmire. "His estate and everything he left in his will would go to probate court, where individuals can argue that they should receive the benefits of Gene Hackman's will."

Authorities say they will finalize the timeline soon. Experts say it could determine where tens of millions of dollars end up.