Gene Hackman was likely alone with his dead wife, Betsy Arakawa, for seven days before he died, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said at a press conference Friday.
New Mexico Chief Medical Examiner Heather Jarrell said Hackman’s cause of death was a cardiac event and “evidence of advanced Alzheimer’s disease” as a significant contributory factor.
She said it’s “quite possible” Hackman did not know Arakawa was dead given his mental state.
The autopsy also found that there was no food in Hackman’s stomach, meaning he had not recently eaten prior to his death.
Dr. Jarrell noted that Arakawa’s cause of death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rare rodent-transmitted virus. The manner of death was natural.
During the presser, officials confirmed they identified signs of rodent entry in the property, which could have led to the hantavirus spreading to Arakawa. Testing for hantavirus was negative for Hackman.
Aside from the late Hollywood star’s mental health issues, Dr. Jarrell concluded that his years of heart disease were also a factor in his passing. She did not confirm he had a heart attack, but noted that he could have had “an abnormal heart rhythm.”
Hackman, Arakawa and one of their three dogs were all found dead in their New Mexico home on Feb. 26. The other two canines survived.
Two maintenance workers who claimed they hadn’t seen the couple in two weeks reportedly discovered the bodies. Police then performed a welfare check. A harrowing 911 call was also released on Feb. 27, in which the caller could be heard pleading for help.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office initially told Page Six that foul play was “not currently suspected.”
Sheriff Adan Mendoza had also determined that the Oscar winner and classical pianist had been in the home for at least a day.
One of Hackman’s three children with ex-wife Faye Maltese, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, told TMZ at the time that their family suspected carbon monoxide poisoning was to blame for the deaths.
However, it was then reported that police had actually deemed the deaths “suspicious” due to various circumstantial evidence, including the fact that Gene and Arakawa’s front door was left opened.
Police also reportedly found pills scattered all over a countertop of a bathroom, where Arakawa was seen laying on the ground. She appeared to have fallen and had been deceased for some time.
A search warrant obtained by TMZ claimed Arakawa had been badly decomposed, had “bloating in her face and mummification in her hands and feet.”
Gene, meanwhile, appeared to have suffered a fall, as well, as he was also on the ground in a separate room near the kitchen. His sunglasses were reportedly next to his body.
Mendoza previously told TMZ that a gas company and the fire department were dispatched to the scene to ensure there were not any toxic fumes that could be harmful to officers during their search.
The outlet reported that the gas company and firefighters found no signs of a carbon monoxide leak.
The New Mexico Gas Company reportedly concluded, “As of now, there are no signs or evidence indicating there were any problems associated to the pipes in and around the residence.”
Elizabeth, 62, told TMZ that her 95-year-old father and 65-year-old stepmom lived a quiet life and spent much of it inside the New Mexico home they bought in 2004. Gene reportedly enjoyed painting a lot.
The Hollywood star was rarely seen out in public. He and Arakawa’s last sighting was on March 28, 2024.
The couple — who had been married since 1991 — were snapped by paparazzi at the time while enjoying a dinner date at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Albuquerque.
A frail Gene was seen during that outing walking with a cane and leaning on Arakawa for support.
The acclaimed actor had a lengthy career and was best known for his iconic roles in films like “Birdcage,” “Bonnie and Clyde,” which earned him an Oscar nomination, and “The French Connection,” for which he won an Academy Award for best actor. He also had memorable roles in “Superman” and “Heartbreakers.”
Aside from Elizabeth, Gene is survived by his son, Christopher, 65, and daughter Leslie, 58.
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