Gene Hackman wife Betsy Arakawa's cause of death revealed, details inside

Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman was found dead alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa and their dog. Previous reports suggested that Hackman died after his pacemaker stopped working a week before his caretaker found him. Further investigation is still ongoing and the latest development has revealed that the actor died of natural causes, probably around a week after his wife passed away.

According to CNN, Heather Jarrell, the chief medical investigator in the US state of New Mexico, shared an update on the investigation during a latest press conference. She said, “The cause of death for Mr. Gene Hackman, aged 95 years, is hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer's disease as a significant contributory factor.”

Meanwhile, Jarrell further noted, "The cause of death for Miss Betsy Hackman, aged 65 years, is hantavirus, pulmonary syndrome. The manner of death is natural." Jarrell explained that Hantavirus symptoms resemble the flu, starting with fever, muscle aches, cough, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhea, but can escalate to life-threatening conditions like shortness of breath, heart failure, and lung failure.

She continued, "This occurs after a one- to eight-week exposure to excrement from a particular mouse species that carries Hantavirus."

Meanwhile, autopsy reports revealed no signs of trauma or carbon monoxide poisoning, contradicting initial suspicions.

Also Read: Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa mysterious death: Investigators examine phones, pills and pacemaker data

Jarrell revealed that data from Hackman's pacemaker indicated his last activity was over a week before his body was discovered in the Santa Fe property. Jarrell concluded that Hackman likely died around February 18, and based on the circumstances, it's probable that his wife, Betsy, passed away first, with February 11 being her last day alive.

Dr Jarrell also stated that Alzheimer’s disease was a contributing factor in Hackman's death. She noted, “He was in a very poor state of health.”