Gene Hackman’s cause of death has been officially determined following his mysterious passing alongside his wife at their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home. The Oscar-winning actor and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered deceased along with their dog on February 26.
On Friday, the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator confirmed that Arakawa succumbed to Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare illness primarily transmitted by rodents, according to the CDC. The agency notes that Hantaviruses are not spread from person to person per USA Today.
Hantavirus is most commonly contracted in the United States through exposure to deer mice, particularly their urine, droppings, and saliva, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The virus does not spread from person to person. In the U.S. and other regions of the Western Hemisphere, hantavirus infection can lead to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a severe respiratory illness that affects the lungs. Symptoms may take up to two months to appear after exposure to an infected rodent. Initial signs often include fatigue, fever, and muscle aches, which can progress to coughing and shortness of breath within days.
According to the CDC, more than a third of those who develop respiratory symptoms may not survive. Between 1993 and 2022, 834 cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome were reported in the U.S., with most occurring in Western states.
Hackman, meanwhile, suffered from heart disease and complications related to Alzheimer’s disease. His death was ruled natural, occurring approximately a week after his wife’s passing.
It’s possible that Hackman was unaware of his wife’s passing several days earlier, according to Jarrell. The 95-year-old actor exhibited signs of advanced Alzheimer’s disease, she noted. Officials also reported that the couple’s deceased dog was found inside a crate and may have died from starvation per CNN.
On February 9, Betsy Arakawa picked up their dog, Zinna, from a veterinary hospital. Two days later, she exchanged emails with her massage therapist in the afternoon. By 3:30 p.m., she was seen at Sprouts Farmers Market, followed by a visit to CVS just after 4 p.m. Around 5 p.m. on February 11, she was spotted at a pet store before returning home shortly after 5:15 p.m., according to security records from her gated subdivision. Later that day, several of her emails remained unopened.
That was the last known communication from either Arakawa or Hackman. Investigators were unable to determine how Hackman spent his final days but noted that he did not suffer from dehydration per USA Today.
Hackman’s pacemaker last registered activity on February 18, according to the medical investigator, indicating that he likely passed away around that date. The investigator noted that Hackman was in extremely poor health at the time and believes his death was due to heart disease.
“We consider this an open investigation” because”other loose ends we need to tie up,” Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said.
