(NewsNation) — Investigators released the cause of death for Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, more than a week after both were found dead in their home near Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Cause of death released
Chief Medical Investigator Heather Jarrell said after autopsies were performed, it was determined that Arakawa died of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and Hackman died of severe heart disease and high blood pressure along with Alzheimer’s disease.
Investigators noted there is no reliable, scientific way to determine the exact date of death, but based on the investigation, they believe Arakawa died first, with her last known activity on Feb. 11, 2025. Hackman was believed to have died around Feb. 18, based on activity from his pacemaker, which showed atrial fibrillation.
Jarrell characterized Hackman as having very severe heart disease, with signs of previous cardiac events and damage to his body from both heart disease and high blood pressure.
The dog that was deceased had recently seen a vet, which could explain why it was crated when the other dogs were not. A necropsy was performed, and the results are pending. Dogs do not get sick from Hantavirus, so that is not a potential option.
Investigators said that Hackman was in the home after his wife’s death. Although he did have Alzheimer’s disease, Jarrell said that he had no evidence of dehydration that would indicate he was completely incapable of caring for himself.
Based on his advanced state of Alzheimer’s, investigators said it isn’t clear if Hackman would have been aware of his wife’s death or been able to get help.
Jarrell could not give an answer on whether Hackman’s pacemaker was connected to a monitoring service that might have picked up the abnormal activity.
What is Hantavirus?
Hantavirus is a zoonotic disease, meaning it is transmitted from animals to people. It is not transmitted from person to person.
Hantavirus is usually contracted by breathing in or touching dropping or urine from a particular species of mice. In New Mexico, authorities say they have had a fatality rate of 42% from the disease.
The illness can resemble the flu at first and can proceed to heart and lung failure.
Officials in New Mexico said the primary residence did not have a high risk of Hantavirus but other structures on the property had a higher risk of someone being exposed to the disease.
The death of Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa
Hackman and Arakawa were found on Feb. 26, 2025, and the story has drawn widespread attention. Officials initially said there were no signs of foul play but deemed the deaths sufficiently suspicious to warrant investigation.
Hackman, 95, and Arakawa were discovered by two maintenance workers who saw the remains through the window and called the police. Hackman was found near the kitchen and Arakawa was found in a bathroom with pills scattered nearby. One of the three dogs they owned was also found dead inside a crate. The other two dogs were found alive.
The remains were decomposing and partially mummified, and that, along with evidence from Hackman’s pacemaker, suggested they could have been dead for as long as several weeks.
Authorities said Arakawa’s last activity was on Feb. 11, when she checked and sent emails and visited a farmer’s market and pet store in the area.
Hackman’s pacemaker showed its last activity on Feb. 18 of atrial fibrillation, which authorities say could have evolved into a more terminal rhythm.
The couple tested negative for carbon monoxide, and a gas company found no evidence of significant gas leaks, ruling out carbon monoxide poisoning as a cause of death.
There also did not appear to be any external injuries on the bodies, but authorities found decomposition and Arakawa’s hands and feet appeared mummified, something that usually starts more than two weeks after a person dies.
Officials also initially suspected a fall as Hackman was found with his walking cane and sunglasses next to his body but later said there were no indications of injuries that would have resulted from a fall.
Items taken from the home as evidence included cell phones and medication, including a thyroid medication, a medication used for high blood pressure or chest pain and Tylenol.
Questions about investigation
The office leading the investigation has been under intense scrutiny, especially after some discrepancies in initial statements, including an initial misidentification of the breed of the dog that had died.
Another discrepancy came when the person who called 911 to report the bodies said the home was locked, and he couldn’t get inside. A deputy later the caller found the front door open and investigators later said the two surviving dogs had been able to get in and out of the house through an open door.
