Authorities are sharing new details surrounding the shocking deaths of Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa.
The two-time Oscar winner and his wife were found deceased in their home on February 27, sparking an investigation into what happened. He was 95 years old and she was 63. After their deaths were originally thought to not be suspicious in nature, they were later labeled “suspicious” due to the condition of the scene.
On Friday (March 7), authorities provided an update on the investigation, revealing Gene and Betsy‘s causes of death.
Keep reading to find out more…According to investigators, it is believed that Betsy died first on February 11, based on surveillance footage of her running errands that day and then using a fob to gain access into the gated community where she and Gene lived.
“Numerous emails were unopened on her computer on February 11. There was no additional outgoing communication from her or known activity after February 11, 2025, Santa Ge County Sheriff Adan Mendoza shared, via CNN.
According to chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell, Betsy died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is “rare infectious disease that begins with flu-like symptoms and progresses rapidly to more severe disease” that is transmitted through rodent urine, droppings and saliva, according to the Mayo Clinic.
As for Gene, investigators believe that he died a week later on February 18 after his after his pacemaker recorded an “abnormal atrial fibrillation” or an abnormal heart rhythm.
Dr. Jarrell said that Gene‘s post mortem CT examination “showed severe heart disease, including multiple surgical procedures involving the heart, evidence of prior heart attacks and severe changes to the kidneys due to chronic high blood pressure.”
The medical examiner went on to say that Gene had Alzheimer’s disease, which was “a significant contributory factor” to his death. She also noted that Gene didn’t show any evidence of being dehydrated, but she also didn’t find any food in his stomach, “which means he had not eaten recently.”
Dr. Jarrell shared that Gene was in an “advanced state” of Alzheimer’s, adding that “it’s quite possible that he was not aware that [Betsy] was deceased.”
Gene‘s family recently released a statement reacting to their shocking deaths.
Leave a Reply