autopsy unveils causes of death after mystery

Santa Fe, New Mexico, became the focal point of a story that shook the entertainment world on February 26, 2025, when Gene Hackman, a Hollywood legend at 95, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, a 65-year-old pianist, were found dead in their secluded condo home. After 11 days of speculation ranging from crime to domestic accidents, local authorities released the autopsy findings on March 7, shedding light on the fate of the couple who shared over three decades together. Hackman succumbed to a combination of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, worsened by advanced Alzheimer’s, with his death estimated for February 18 based on pacemaker records. Betsy, however, died about a week earlier, around February 11, from a rare hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rodent-borne respiratory infection that also claimed one of their three dogs, a German shepherd named Xena. The investigation, led by the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office and the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, ruled out foul play, confirming distinct natural causes, yet painted a tragic picture of isolation: Betsy passed first, leaving Hackman alone, possibly unaware of her death due to his debilitating neurological condition.

The discovery of their bodies, in an advanced state of decomposition, came during a routine visit by condo maintenance staff, who also found the couple’s other two dogs alive but in poor condition. An open bottle of medication near Betsy sparked early theories, soon dispelled by medical examinations.

Gene Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner for The French Connection and Unforgiven, was a towering figure in cinema, while Betsy, born in Hawaii, lived quietly as a classical pianist by his side. Their tragic end, marked by severe health challenges and solitude, continues to resonate with fans and media alike.

Seclusion in Santa Fe shapes outcome

The couple’s reclusive life in Santa Fe, chosen after Hackman’s 2004 retirement, delayed the discovery of their deaths, with few regular visitors to raise the alarm.

Autopsies clarify 11-day enigma

After 11 days of probing, medical exams confirmed natural causes, with Hackman felled by heart issues and Betsy by hantavirus, resolving a case that puzzled fans and officials.

Hantavirus: the silent killer that struck Betsy

Betsy Arakawa faced a rare and deadly foe in hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which claimed her life around February 11. Known for its high fatality rate, the disease has recorded 109 cases in New Mexico since 1993, with a mortality rate near 36%, thriving in rural areas like Santa Fe where rodents such as the deer mouse are prevalent. Initial symptoms mimic the flu—fever and muscle aches—before escalating to severe respiratory distress, often within days of worsening. Betsy’s death was pinpointed based on decomposition and the cessation of email activity after February 11, the last day she was seen in public.

Security footage captured Betsy that day, visiting a CVS pharmacy, a pet supply store, and a grocery store, returning to the condo at 4:54 p.m. The open pill bottle near her body, found in the bathroom, suggests she tried to ease early symptoms, perhaps mistaking them for something minor. The couple’s home showed signs of rodent infestation—droppings and wall breaches—linked to the infection’s source, though hantavirus isn’t transmissible between humans, sparing Hackman from the same fate.

Chief Medical Investigator Heather Jarrell noted that hantavirus incubation can span 1 to 8 weeks, but its progression is relentless once severe symptoms emerge. The rural setting of their home, chosen for peace, ironically exposed Betsy to this environmental hazard.

Alzheimer’s and heart failure: Hackman’s lonely end

Following Betsy’s death, Gene Hackman spent roughly seven days alone, in a state of profound vulnerability. The autopsy revealed he suffered from hypertension and atherosclerosis, hardening his arteries and impeding blood flow, compounded by advanced Alzheimer’s that dulled his awareness and independence. His pacemaker logged its final activity on February 17, with death estimated for February 18. Found in a room near the kitchen with a cane and sunglasses nearby, Hackman showed signs of struggling to move despite his critical condition.

Hackman’s medical history included multiple heart surgeries and prior heart attacks, making his cardiovascular state especially fragile. The absence of food in his stomach suggests he didn’t eat in his final days, a consequence of Alzheimer’s disorientation and the lack of care after Betsy’s passing. Heather Jarrell remarked that, at such an advanced stage of the disease, “he likely didn’t know Betsy had died,” adding a poignant layer to his last week.

Discovery scene stuns investigators

The Santa Fe home, a retreat since 2004, unveiled a grim tableau when the bodies were found on February 26. Alongside Hackman and Betsy, Xena was dead, while the other two dogs survived, hinting at days without proper care.