Authorities have announced the official cause of death for actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa Hackman.
More than a week after Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were found dead in their New Mexico home, their autopsy results have been released.
In a press conference held Friday afternoon, Santa Fe County sheriff Adan Mendoza, detailed the timeline of activity for the last days of Mrs. Hackman. Mendoza shared that on February 9, Betsy picked up her dog, Xena, from the vet.
On the morning of February 11, Arakawa had a conversation with her massage therapist via email. Later that day, she visited a local grocery store and a pharmacy before stopping at a pet food store. Her car was seen on surveillance footage returned home that evening. No email activity was detected after that.
“Numerous emails were unopened on her computer on February 11. There was no additional outgoing communication from her or known activity after February 11,” Mendoza said.
The lead examiner for the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator then shared that autopsy findings concluded that Mrs. Hackman, 65, died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Gene Hackman died of heart disease and complications caused by Alzheimer’s disease.
“The cause of death for Mr. Gene Hackman, age 95 years, is hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with Alzeheimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor,” the examiner said. “Autopsy examination and a full-body post-mortem CT examination … showed severe heart disease, including multiple surgical procedures involving the heart, evidence of prior heart attacks, and severe changes to the kidneys due to chronic high blood pressure.”
As previously reported, the last activity recorded on Hackman’s pacemaker was on February 17, more than a week before he was found deceased at his New Mexico home. The new evidence indicates that Arakawa likely died in the home first, nearly one week before Hackman died.
Authorities speculate that Hackman likely didn’t know his wife had died due to his Alzheimer’s disease.
“He was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s and it’s possible that he did not know she was deceased,” the examiner said.
RELATED: AUTHORITIES REVEAL RESULTS OF “EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATION” BY GAS COMPANY AT GENE HACKMAN’S HOME
What is hantavirus – the disease that killed Betsy Arakawa Hackman?
Hantavirus is a “severe and sometimes deadly disease” most often contracted by humans when they come in contact with infected rodents, according to the CDC. It is present in rodent urine, feces, and saliva and can be contracted by humans in several ways, Mayo Clinic reports.
- Inhaling viruses — the most likely form of transmission — when they become airborne from disturbed rodent droppings or nesting materials
- Eating food contaminated with mouse saliva, urine, or droppings
- Touching things contaminated with the virus, such as a nest, and then touching your mouth, eyes or nose
- Being bitten or scratched by an infected rodent
It can take 2 to 3 weeks for symptoms to appear after being infected. Initial symptoms include fever, muscle pain, and headaches, with some reporting nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If left untreated, hantavirus can infect the lungs, causing hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, the condition that led to Betsy Arakawa’s death.
Protect yourself against hantavirus by avoiding exposure to mice and their feces. When cleaning up after rodents, including pet mice and rats, it is important to use proper gear such as gloves and masks.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were found deceased in their New Mexico home on February 26.
A caretaker in their subdivision responded to a call after maintenance workers saw Arakawa lying motionless through a window. When they arrived, authorities found the couple, both deceased, in different areas of their home, along with their dog Xena. Hackman was found in the mudroom with a cane and his glasses nearby. His wife was found in the bathroom along with Xena, who was locked in a kennel.
RELATED: AUTHORITIES RELEASE NEW DETAILS ABOUT GENE HACKMAN AND BETSY ARAKAWA’S DEATHS
This is a developing story. We will be updating as more information becomes available.
Watch Friday’s press conference in the video below.