New Mexico officials held a press conference on Friday to share updates on the tragic deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, including details about the causes.
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Officials revealed that Hackman lived with his deceased wife’s body for an entire week before passing away due to complications from heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Betsy Arakawa passed away from Hantavirus, a rare, flu-like illness associated with exposure to rodents, according to Santa Fe officials per The New York Post.
Arakawa was last seen leaving her and Hackman’s home on February 11, the same day she sent her final communications, according to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza. She likely passed away from the virus that very day, New Mexico Chief Medical Examiner Heather Jarrell stated during a press conference on Friday afternoon.
Hackman, who was in the late stages of Alzheimer’s, likely passed away about a week after his wife, Jarrell stated. His death was attributed to hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, as well as complications from Alzheimer’s.
Gene Hackman May Have Been Alone with His Deceased with Betsy Arakawa Several Days Before His Death
Sheriff Adan Mendoza stated that Hackman may have been alone with his deceased wife for seven days before his own death. New Mexico Chief Medical Examiner Heather Jarrell suggested it’s “quite possible” that Hackman, due to his mental state, was unaware of Arakawa’s passing. The autopsy revealed an empty stomach, indicating Hackman had not eaten shortly before his death.
At the press conference, officials confirmed evidence of rodent activity on the property, which may have contributed to the hantavirus transmission to Arakawa. However, Hackman tested negative for the virus.
The circumstances of Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths remain shrouded in mystery after the couple was discovered deceased inside their New Mexico home on February 26. Their bodies were found in close proximity to one another, and tragically, one of their three dogs, an Australian Kelpie mix, was also found dead inside a crate.
Early theories suggested the long married couple might have succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning, but tests on their remains ultimately ruled this out. From the start of the investigation, police have maintained that foul play is not suspected. Initial autopsy results also revealed no evidence of external trauma.