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 Dr. Heather Jarrell said Hackman’s cause of death was hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, but she also noted “evidence of advanced Alzheimer’s disease” as a significant contributory factor.
Dr. Jarrell 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 the “Behind Enemy Lines” star’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 years of heart disease contributed to his passing. He had been using a pacemaker and police previously said his “last event” was tracked on Feb. 17, which could be when he died.
Dr. Jarrel, however, did not confirm whether Hackman had a heart attack, but pointed out that he likely 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.
Dr. Erin Phipps of the New Mexico Health Department said Friday it’s unclear whether Zinna, the dog that died, passed away from starvation or dehydration. Necropsy results are pending.
Police also said at the press conference that Arakawa had taken Zinna to a vet hospital on Feb. 9.
Her whereabouts were traced up until Feb. 11. Police said she ran several errands and her last known email communications also took place that day.
On Feb. 26, two maintenance workers who claimed they hadn’t seen the couple in two weeks reportedly discovered the bodies. A harrowing 911 call was released the following day.
Police found Gene and Arakawa during a welfare check.The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office initially told Page Six that foul play was “not currently suspected.”
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 unlocked.
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 claimed Arakawa had been badly decomposed, with “bloating in her face and mummification in her hands and feet.”
Hackmann, 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.
One of Hackman’s three children with ex-wife Faye Maltese, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, previously told TMZ that their family suspected carbon monoxide poisoning was to blame for the deaths.
A Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office press release later said a gas company and the fire department did not find a carbon monoxide leak. Gene and Arakawa also tested negative for carbon monoxide, per police.
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.