Gene Hackman death investigation: New evidence changes timeline of actor, wife’s final days

New evidence has changed what authorities initially believed about the death of Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy.

Preliminary phone records have revealed Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa-Hackman, did not die on February 11 as once believed, according to the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department.

Betsy’s autopsy determined the manner of death as natural, and authorities previously believed she died on or about February 11. Toxicology results remain pending.

“Pending cell phone records, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office investigation showed the last known activity of Mrs. Hackman to be February 11, 2025,” authorities confirmed to Fox News Digital.

“We can now confirm that Mrs. Hackman’s phone was utilised on the morning of February 12 to call a medical centre in Santa Fe, Cloudberry Health.”

Officials determined multiple calls were made on February 12, all of which were to the medical centre.

“A total of three calls were made that morning, all to the medical centre. One incoming call was made to Mrs. Hackman from the same medical centre that afternoon,” the department confirmed to Fox News Digital.

“That appeared as a missed call on Mrs. Hackman’s cell phone.”

Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa died in mysterious circumstances in February. Picture: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage

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On Monday, the Hackman estate was awarded a temporary restraining order against the release of records regarding the deaths of Gene and Betsy.

The order stated the “Office of the Medical Investigator and the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, including each entities’ agents, assigns, and employees are hereby temporarily restrained from disclosing through IPRA or other means, any and all photographs or videos containing images of the following: the body of Gene Hackman, the body of Betsy Arakawa-Hackman, the interior of Mr. and Mrs. Hackman’s residence.”

Additionally, “any lapel video footage,” including the Hackmans’ bodies or footage of “images of any deceased animals at the Hackman residence,” was added to the temporary restraining order.

A general view of the entrance to the Santa Fe Summit neighbourhood where Hackman lived. Picture: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP

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The Office of the Medical Investigator was temporarily restrained from disclosing the autopsy and/or death reports, according to the order. A hearing was set for March 31.

Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed during a news conference last week that detectives had already found answers to many pending questions in the Hackmans’ case, but were still waiting on specific data to tie up any “loose ends.”

Hackman died due to hypertensive atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor, New Mexico officials confirmed one week ago.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa with two of their dogs. Picture: Supplied

He was likely alone in the home for about a week until he died around February 18, which was the last time activity was recorded on his pacemaker.

Betsy died due to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is transmitted from animals to humans and is commonly found in rodents, the New Mexico Department of Health confirmed.

Hantavirus is characterised by “flu-like symptoms consisting of fever, muscle aches, cough, sometimes vomiting and diarrhoea that can progress to shortness of breath and cardiac or heart failure and lung failure,” Chief Medical Investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell explained during the news conference.

This story originally appeared on Fox News and was reproduced with permission

Originally published as Gene Hackman death investigation: New evidence changes timeline of actor, wife’s final days