Gene Hackman cause of death revealed as sheriff says his wife died from rare virus linked to rodents a week before he did

Gene Hackman lived with his dead wife’s body for a full week before succumbing to complications from heart problems and Alzheimer’s disease, officials revealed Friday.

Betsy Arakawa died of Hantavirus, a rare flu-like disease linked to rodents, the Santa Fe officials said.

Arakawa’s last left her and Hackman’s home on Feb. 11 which was also the last time she sent out any communications, according to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza.

She died of the virus likely that day, New Mexico Chief Medical Examiner Heather Jarrell said at a highly anticipated press conference Friday afternoon.

Hackman, who had late stage Alzheimer’s likely died roughly a week after his wife from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and from Alzheimer’s, Jarrell said.

Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa found dead in their home

• Gene Hackman, wife’s cause of death revealed as sheriff reveals possible timeline
• Gene Hackman’s home had ‘minuscule’ gas leak, not believed to be a factor in mysterious deaths
• Forensic expert’s theory surrounding the ‘unusual’ circumstances of Gene Hackman, wife’s deaths
• Gene Hackman and his wife tested negative for carbon monoxide, sheriff says
• Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa ‘hadn’t called’ her dementia-plagued mom, 91, in months, housekeeper says
• Medications, cellphones seized from Gene Hackman and wife’s home as investigation into their mysterious deaths continues
• Gene Hackman died at least 9 days before his, wife’s bodies found mummified at New Mexico home, sheriff says

The bodies of Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were discovered by maintenance and security workers at their Santa Fe, New Mexico, mansion on Feb. 26.

The two-time Oscar winner was found in the mud room of the home near his cane and sunglasses while his pianist wife was discovered in a bathroom with an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on the counter.

One of their three dogs, Zinnia, was also found dead in a crate in the bathroom closet near Arakawa. Their two other dogs, Bear, a German Shepherd and Nikita, an Akita-Shepherd mix survived and were found roaming inside and outside the property.

The couple’s bodies had begun decomposing and partially mummifying due to the dry air and high altitude of the area – located at the southern point of the Rocky Mountains.

The last detected activity on the “Hoosiers” star’s pacemaker registered on Feb. 17 – nine days before they were found – leading officials to believe that was likely when he died.

There were no external signs of trauma on their bodies nor signs of “foul play,” but their deaths were still deemed “suspicious” prompting a further probe, authorities said in the days after their deaths.

Hackman and Arakawa, who met in the 1980s and married in 1991, had become notoriously private and insular and it was not uncommon for them to go long stretches without speaking to friends and family – so no alarm bells were raised by their lack of contact in the time after they died.

They also didn’t have any surveillance cameras inside their home to help piece together the circumstances surrounding their deaths, but investigators say it appeared that Hackman had suddenly fallen.

Initially theories swirled that the duo may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning, but testing of their remains appeared to prove otherwise. And a local gas company said they only found a “miniscule” gas leak coming from their stove, which wouldn’t have been enough to kill them.

Officials also previously said they were trying to crack the code for their cell phones to look at their correspondence in an effort to put together a timeline leading up to their deaths.

Hackman – who has battled health issues – was last publicly seen going into a medical appointment in March 2024. He appeared gaunt and frail at the time.

His daughter, Leslie Anne Allen, 58 – whom he had with his ex-wife Faye Maltese – said she and her dad “were close” but said she hadn’t been in contact with him for months.

Hackman had three children in total, all of whom he shared with Maltese.

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Stephen Collopy

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