Gene Hackman's estate is now troubled by legal and financial squabbles following the deaths of the Oscar winner and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, who were discovered dead in their Santa Fe home in February. The couple, found together with one of their dogs, apparently had unpaid debts and an outdated will.

In court documents obtained by Us Weekly, Citibank filed a claim for $98,345.29 against Hackman's estate for unpaid credit card bills. Arakawa, 65, was allegedly $4,329.75 in debt to Bank of America at the time of her death. The banks are seeking to be repaid by the estates, a typical course when people die in debt.

Unpaid Debts and Tragic Discovery

Arakawa died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) — an uncommon and severe type of respiratory disease passed on by rodents — first, according to officials. Hackman, 95, had been ailing with Alzheimer's disease and died a few days later of the disease and from heart disease. Their bodies were not found for days, until a repairman entered the home. The bodies of Arakawa, 71, and his wife, 74, showed signs of "decomposition" and "mummification," and officials also said the timeline of their deaths is in question.

Despite the outstanding balances, Hackman's reported $80 million fortune likely dwarfs the liabilities, and the debts may already be in the process of being resolved.

Will Dispute Adds Complication

While the financial aspects can likely be handled quickly, legal insiders say the family may have a more brutal fight on its hands when it comes to Hackman's estate, which an old will may govern. According to the Daily Mail, Hackman's final will, drawn up in June of 2005, lists Arakawa as being his only surviving trustee.

Arakawa died before Hackman, which led to a feud over who would legally inherit the late actor's estate. Last amended in 2005, the will failed to name his three children – Christopher Allen, Elizabeth Jean, and Leslie Anne Hackman – which makes matters more complicated.

Whether the adult children would be able to get their hands on any of the estate could depend on the legal structure of the trust, and whether a court sees the almost two-decades-old document as obsolete under the circumstances.

The siblings, who were said to have been estranged from their father, have not made further comments since saying that they were "devastated" at his death.