Gene Hackman died of natural causes one week after Betsy Arakawa's death from rare virus, reveal authorities

Legendary Hollywood actor Gene Hackman Hackman, a two-time Academy Award winner known for The French Connection and Unforgiven, died of coronary artery disease at his Santa Fe home on February 18, according to the New Mexico Medical Investigator’s Office. Advanced Alzheimer’s disease was listed as a contributing factor.

His wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, passed away on February 11 due to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rare respiratory illness caused by exposure to infected rodents. Her cause of death was also ruled natural.died at the age of 95, just one week after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, passed away from a rare virus, officials confirmed.

How Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa died

Authorities believe Arakawa died first, with her last known movements recorded on February 11, when she visited a grocery store, a pharmacy, and a pet store before returning home.

Given Hackman’s advanced Alzheimer’s, medical investigators said it was “quite possible” he was unaware of his wife’s death. He was found in a side room near the kitchen, with a walking cane and sunglasses nearby. Arakawa was discovered in the bathroom, with scattered pills around her.

Their bodies were found in an advanced state of decomposition after neighborhood security conducted a welfare check and saw them through a window.

One of the couple’s three dogs was also found dead inside a crate near Arakawa, while the other two dogs were alive. The cause of death for the dog remains undetermined.

New Mexico Public Health Veterinarian Erin Phipps noted that hantavirus cases are extremely rare, with only 136 cases reported in the state over the past 50 years. Investigators found signs of rodent activity on the couple’s property, though the risk inside the main house was considered “low.” Hackman tested negative for the virus.

Authorities ruled out foul play, as there were no signs of forced entry. Carbon monoxide poisoning and gas leaks were also ruled out.

Gene Hackman's illustrious career

Gene Hackman rose to fame in the late 1960s with roles in Bonnie and Clyde and I Never Sang for My Father, both earning him Oscar nominations. His breakthrough came in 1971 with The French Connection, where he played detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle, winning the Academy Award for Best Actor.

He secured a second Oscar in 1992 for his supporting role as Sheriff Little Bill Daggett in Unforgiven. Over his five-decade career, he starred in more than 100 films, including Mississippi Burning, The Conversation, and Superman, where he played the iconic villain Lex Luthor.

Hackman retired from acting in 2004 after his final role in Welcome to Mooseport and settled into a quiet life in New Mexico with Arakawa, whom he met in the 1980s.

Hackman is survived by three adult children from his previous marriage.