Disturbing Details Revealed in Gene Hackman’s Death, People Have Questions [WATCH]

Veteran actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home last month, with officials now revealing that Hackman lived for a week with his deceased wife before he, too, passed away.

Authorities disclosed on Friday that Hackman, 95, died from complications related to heart disease and Alzheimer’s, while Arakawa, 65, succumbed to Hantavirus, a rare illness linked to rodent exposure.

According to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, Arakawa was last seen leaving their residence on February 11, which was also the last time she sent any form of communication.

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Chief Medical Examiner Heather Jarrell stated that she likely died on that same day due to the virus.

Hackman, who was in the late stages of Alzheimer’s, is believed to have died approximately a week later from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, compounded by his neurodegenerative condition.

Investigators says Gene Hackman likely outlived his wife by about a week and—due to advanced Alzheimer’s—may not even have realized she was dead.

That is really heartbreaking. pic.twitter.com/ginWA8njgI

— Natalie Jean Beisner (@NJBeisner) March 7, 2025

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The bodies were discovered on February 26 by maintenance and security workers at the couple’s mansion.

Hackman was found in the home’s mudroom near his cane and sunglasses, while Arakawa’s body was located in a bathroom. An open prescription bottle and scattered pills were found on the counter near her.

One of their three dogs, Zinnia, was also discovered dead inside a crate in the bathroom closet.

JUST IN: Actor Gene Hackman dıed of heart disease, but his wife dıed ONE WEEK EARLIER around February 11th of hantavirus, per authorities

According to them, Hackman walked around the house with her body still in it, alerting nobody.

WTF? This story gets weirder and weirder. pic.twitter.com/ryR3Fbrz8F

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 7, 2025

Their other two dogs, Bear, a German Shepherd, and Nikita, an Akita-Shepherd mix, were found alive and roaming both inside and outside the property.

Due to the high altitude and dry climate of the region, officials said the couple’s bodies had begun decomposing and were partially mummified by the time they were found.

Investigators determined that Hackman’s pacemaker last registered activity on February 17, nine days before the discovery of their bodies, leading authorities to believe he died on that date.

Although there were no external signs of trauma or foul play, authorities initially deemed the deaths “suspicious,” prompting an investigation into the circumstances.

The couple had become known for their reclusive lifestyle, often going long periods without communication with family and friends, which contributed to the delay in their discovery.

Investigators ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning as a cause of death.

A local gas company conducted tests and found only a small leak from the home’s stove, which officials determined was not significant enough to have caused their deaths.

Law enforcement also attempted to access the couple’s cell phone records to establish a clearer timeline of events leading up to their passing.

So we are to believe Gene Hackman had Alzheimer’s and his wife died in her bathroom on Feb 11th and he left her dead there for 7 days and nights killed his dog put it in a closet then died himself in his mudroom and nobody found them for another week after that ? pic.twitter.com/pHbSCyTn8G

— The Professional (@jsvhreborn) March 7, 2025

Hackman, a two-time Academy Award winner best known for roles in The French Connection, Unforgiven, and Hoosiers, had been battling health issues in recent years.

His last known public appearance was in March 2024, when he was seen attending a medical appointment. Witnesses described him as appearing frail.

Hackman had three children with his first wife, Faye Maltese. His daughter, Leslie Anne Allen, 58, stated that she and her father were close but had not spoken in several months.

Hackman and Arakawa met in the 1980s and married in 1991.

Their deaths mark the end of a decades-long Hollywood legacy, though they had largely stepped out of the public eye in their later years.

Authorities continue to finalize their investigation into the exact circumstances surrounding their passing.

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