Authorities reveal causes of deaths of Oscar-winner Gene Hackman, wife
Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office officials and New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator officials hold a press conference on the death of actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa, who were found dead on February 26 in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on March 7, 2025.
The causes of the deaths of the two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman and his wife were revealed by authorities on Friday, more than a week after the couple were found dead at their home in the US state of New Mexico.
Hackman, 95, died due to hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer's disease as a significant contributory factor, Dr. Heather Jarrell, the chief medical examiner for the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, said at a news conference at the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office.
His wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, tested positive for hantavirus, a rare flu-like disease linked to rodents, and had hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, health investigators added.
Officials said Arakawa is assumed to have died first around February 11, and Hackman is assumed to have died on February 18.
The couple were found dead on February 26 at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico's capital. There are no signs or indications of blunt force trauma, officials said the next day, but they noted in a search warrant that "affiant believes that the circumstances surrounding the death of the two deceased individuals to be suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation."
Hackman won an Oscar award as Best Actor for "The French Connection" in 1972 and Best Supporting Actor for "Unforgiven" in 1993.
