Οscar-winning actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease in an advanced state of Alzheimer’s, likely days after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, succumbed to a rare virus spread by mice, according to autopsy results released on Friday in New Mexico.
Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 64, were found dead on February 26 in separate rooms of their Santa Fe home, along with one of their dogs. Authorities determined that Arakawa had died a week earlier from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare but often fatal disease transmitted through rodent droppings and urine. Hackman’s cause of death was attributed to heart disease, compounded by his deteriorating health due to Alzheimer’s.
At a press conference at the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office, Chief Medical Investigator Heather Jarrell stated that Hackman’s condition likely prevented him from realizing his wife had passed. “He was in an advanced state of Alzheimer’s and it is quite possible he was not aware she was deceased,” Jarrell said. Sheriff Adan Mendoza echoed this sentiment, adding, “I would assume that is the case.”
FILE – Actor Gene Hackman arrives with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, for the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 19, 2003. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
Authorities determined Arakawa likely died around February 11, based on the date of her last email. Hackman’s death was placed on February 18, according to data from his pacemaker.
Hantavirus, though rare in the U.S., is primarily found in the western states, including New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. It is commonly transmitted when people inhale airborne particles from rodent droppings, often while cleaning enclosed spaces. The disease begins with flu-like symptoms and can escalate to heart and lung failure, with a fatality rate between 38% and 50%.
State health inspectors found no signs of rodent activity inside Hackman’s home but did detect evidence in structures outside the residence, said State Veterinarian Erin Phipps. One of the couple’s dogs, found deceased in a crate, may have died of starvation. Arakawa had reportedly picked up the animal from a Santa Fe veterinarian on February 9.
Hackman and Arakawa had lived in Santa Fe since the 1980s, where they were active in the city’s arts and culinary scene. In recent years, the couple became increasingly private as Hackman’s health declined. A caretaker discovered their bodies inside their gated community home.
The house owned by actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa stands Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales)
Hackman, a former Marine, had a storied career spanning more than 80 films. He earned his first Oscar nomination for his role in 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde and won Academy Awards for The French Connection (1972) and Unforgiven (1993). Known for his raspy voice and commanding screen presence, he retired from acting in the early 2000s, spending his later years in relative seclusion.
Authorities reported no signs of foul play, and both Hackman and Arakawa appeared to have collapsed suddenly. The couple’s passing marks the end of an era for Hollywood and the Santa Fe community, where they spent their final decades together.
