Gene Hackman died of Hantavirus; The actor died of cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s: officials

The causes of the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were revealed by officials on Friday, more than a week after the couple was mysteriously dead in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Hackman, 95, died of cardiovascular and Alzheimer’s disease probably around February 18, approximately one week after his wife died from a rare syndrome, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, around February 11, authorities said.

Hackman’s death was “hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor,” he announced at a press conference.

“Mr. Hackman showed evidence of Alzheimer’s advanced disease,” he said. “I was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think, ultimately, that is what resulted in his death.”

Arakawa, 65, died of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease transmitted through the urine of rodents, excrement or saliva, authorities said.

The centers for disease control and prevention said that the disease “initially causes flu -like symptoms that can progress to a more serious disease where people have problems breathing.”

Those who contract Hantavirus after being exposed to the excrement of rodents often feel sick for approximately three to six days, Jarrell said.

“Then they can make the transition to that pulmonary phase, where they have liquid in the lungs and around their lungs,” he said. “And at that time, a person can die very fast, within 24 to 48, more or less, without medical treatment.”

Hackman was probably at home with his deceased wife for a week before he died, said the Sheriff of Santa Fe County, Adan Mendoza. There was no food in the stomach, which means that I had not eaten recently, but neither had evidence of dehydration, authorities said.

Hackman “was in an advanced state of Alzheimer’s, and it is very possible that she did not realize that she had died,” said Jarrell, adding that “the question is difficult to answer.”

The academy prize winning actor and his wife were found dead during a welfare check of February 26, without obvious signs of how they died, Sheriff’s office said.

The authorities said last week that the couple gave negative for carbon monoxide. The New Mexico gas company also concluded its research on carbon monoxide at home, saying that “there were no significant findings” of leaks.

The authorities said last week that their deaths were “of nature sufficiently suspicious to require an exhaustive search and investigation,” according to an affidavit of registration order.

Hackman was discovered on the floor of the mud room and seemed that it fell suddenly, according to the search warrant.

Hackman suffered “severe heart disease, including multiple surgical procedures that involve the heart, evidence of previous heart attacks and severe kidney changes due to chronic high blood pressure,” said Jarrell.

The “actor’s initial pacemaker data revealed heart activity on February 17, with the subsequent pacemaker interrogation demonstrating an abnormal atrial fibrillation rhythm on February 18, which was the last record of cardiac activity,” said Jarrell.

Hackman tried negative for Hantavirus, authorities said.

Arakawa was found lying sideways on the floor in a bathroom, with a space heater near his body, according to the search warrant. His body showed signs of decomposition; There was mummification in his hands and feet, according to the document.

In the counter near Arakawa there was an open recipe bottle, with scattered pills, according to the search warrant. It was determined that the pills were thyroid medications that were being taken as prescribed and did not seem to have any contribution to their death, authorities said Friday.

One of the three dogs of the couple was found dead in a box about 10 to 15 feet from Arakawa’s body, authorities said.

But his other two dogs were found alive. It seemed that they had access to a dog door; According to Mendoza, a dog was found near Arakawa and the other was located outside.

The Sheriff on Friday described the last days of Arakawa.

On February 9, Arakawa collected one of his three dogs, the dog that was later found dead in the house with the couple, from a veterinary hospital after a procedure, which can explain why the dog was discovered in a cage when the bodies were found, said the sheriff.

On the afternoon of February 11, Arakawa went to the farmers, CVS and a pet food store, and entered his closed community at 5:15 pm, said the Sheriff.

There is no evidence that he had any communication after February 11, said the Sheriff, saying that all his emails were not read after that date.

It is possible that the dog died due to lack of access to food and water, said Dr. Erin Phipps, veterinary of the New Mexico Department of Health, but officials expect the results of necropsy.

The dogs do not get sick from Hantavirus, he said.

There were 864 cases of Hantavirus in the United States from 1993 to 2022, according to CDC.