Gene Hackman cause of death revealed after star, wife, dog found dead at Santa Fe mansion

Gene Hackman survived for seven days in his home after his wife Betsy died, as police reveal tragic new details of their passing.

The cause of actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s deaths have been revealed.

The retired actor, 95, was discovered dead with wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, and their dog, at their Santa Fe home on February 26.

It has now been revealed they both died from natural causes – but died seven days apart, with the actor passing a full week after his wife.

Doctor Heather Jarrell, Chief Medical Examiner for New Mexico, revealed in a press conference today that Gene Hackman died of cardiovascular disease, with advanced Alzehimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor to his death.

His wife Betsy’s cause of death was more unusual: She died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare flu-like infectious disease that can be contracted after contact with rodents and rodent excrement. Her husband had not contracted the same illness. Authorities confirmed that they had found evidence of rodent entry to the home, believed to be the source of Arakawa’s infection.

Gene Hackman with wife Betsy Arakawa. Picture: Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty

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Her cause of death was deemed natural, with no findings of trauma internally or externally.

Dr Jarrell revealed that based on her movements and email communications, Betsy was believed to have died on February 11, a full week before her husband is believed to have died, on February 18.

Reporters at the press conference asked for clarification that Hackman had been at home with his deceased wife for seven days before his death.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed that that was believed to be the case.

Authorities at the press conference today, including Dr Heather Jarrell (right).

Dr Jarrell said the actor was in a “very poor state of health,” and given she did not know what his day-to-day care schedule with his wife was like before they died, it was hard to posit what his last week at home would have been like and how much he would’ve struggled without her assistance.

She suggested that, given his advanced Alzehimer’s, it was possible he was unaware in his final week alive that his wife had actually died.

“There was no food in his stomach, which means he had not eaten recently, but he had no evidence of dehydration,” she said.

Dr Jarrell also gave details about just how serious an illness hantavirus pulmonary syndrome can be, revealing that when fluid gets on the lungs, the disease can become terminal “pretty quickly.”

The Mayo Clinic states that hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a “rare infectious disease that begins with flu-like symptoms and progresses rapidly to more severe disease. It can lead to life-threatening lung and heart problems. The disease is also called hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome.”

The Clinic states that given treatment options are “limited,” the best protection against the virus is “to avoid contact with rodents and safely clean up rodent habitats.”

Gene’s cause of death

Hackman lived a quiet life out of the spotlight in his final years. Picture: Picture: Splash News/Media Mode

“The cause of death for Mr. Gene Hackman is hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor,” Dr Jarrell revealed.

“Autopsy examination and a full body post mortem CT examination demonstrated no acute findings of internal or external trauma and showed severe heart disease, including multiple surgical procedures involving the heart evidence of prior heart attacks and severe changes of the kidneys due to chronic high blood pressure.

“Examination of the brain showed advanced Alzheimer’s disease as well as blood vessel changes in the brain secondary to chronic high blood pressure.

“Laboratory testing performed at scientific laboratories division was negative for Covid-19, influenza and other common respiratory viruses, testing for hantavirus was negative. Testing for carbon monoxide was negative.

Betsy’s cause of death

Gene’s wife Betsy Arakawa died from a rare infectious disease that can quickly turn deadly. Picture: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage

Dr Jarrell said Gene’s wife Betsy’s cause of death was “natural.”

“Autopsy examination and full body post mortem CT demonstrated no findings of trauma internally or externally with microscopic findings consistent with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome,” she said.

“Laboratory testing was positive for hantavirus at a clinical lab with required confirmation testing positive at scientific laboratories division, testing for Covid-19, influenza and other common respiratory viruses was negative testing for carbon monoxide was negative.”

She continued: “There were no other significant natural disease findings, pills present on scene, or thyroid medication which were being taken as prescribed and is not currently a concern for a contributory cause of death.”