(Nexstar) – The cause of the deaths of actor Jean Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa was released on Friday after several days of mystery and speculation.
At a media conference Friday, Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief medical inspector at the New Mexico office of Medical Investigators, identified Hackman’s cause of death as hypertension and atherosclerotic heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributor. It was said that Arakawa’s cause of death was Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
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Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were found dead at their Santa Fe home on February 26th. Hackman was found on the mudroom floor of the house along with his cane and sunglasses, while Arakawa was found on the bathroom floor near the space heater. One of their dogs was found dead nearby.
A prescription bottle was also found open near Arakawa’s body, with pills scattered across the bathroom countertop. Medical inspectors revealed Friday that the pill was a thyroid drug, which is believed to be prescribed and not believed to have contributed to her death.
Gene Hackman and Arakawa arrive at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards held in Beverly Hills, California in January 2003 (AP Photo/Mark J. Terlill, File)
According to the affidavit, the corresponding aide previously believed that Hackman and Arakawa could have suddenly collapsed based on the location of items found near their bodies. He does not see any indications of “immediate” trauma, documents showed. Medical inspectors confirmed that both Hackman and Arakawa had no signs of internal or external trauma.
But the body showed signs of disintegration, bloating, and at least in the case of Arakawa’s “mummification” of her hands, the aide said.
Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza and Jarrell shared evidence suggesting that Arakawa may have died a few days before her husband. Email activity and surveillance footage show that she was alive on February 11th, communicating with others and running errands. However, there was no additional communication or entry and exit from that day.
Gas Company Shares Findings from Santa Fe, Hackman’s House in Arakawa
Hackman’s pacemaker registered cardiac activity on February 17th and February 18th with some unusual activities. This is the last record of the device. Based on the evidence, Jarrell said it was “rational to draw a conclusion.”
An autopsy revealed that Hackman had “a very broad range of heart diseases,” including multiple heart surgeries and a previous heart attack. Looking at his brain, he also showed “advanced” Alzheimer’s disease, Jarrell said.
The couple was not found until February 26th.
Santa Fe County deputies are portrayed outside the Santa Fe home, where Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died the day before, on February 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales)
The cause of death of the dog in the house is unknown. The sheriff said the results of the pet’s autopsy are still pending.
Authorities initially pointed out in a search warrant affidavit that there were no issues with the gas pipes and no signs of carbon monoxide leakage at home. Sheriff Mendoza later said at a press conference on February 28 that both Hackman and Arakawa had tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning.
The New Mexico gas company said earlier this week that investigators had identified five “red tags” (i.e. safety concerns) at Hackman and Arakawa’s homes, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said. One of these red tags was issued for a “extreme” gas leak, which originated from a stove burner, but it was not a fatal amount, officials said.
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Hollywood icon Hackman won two Oscars during his celebratory career in films such as “French Connection,” “Hoosiers,” and “Superman.” From the 1960s to his retirement in the early 2000s.
Born in Hawaii, Arakawa studied as a concert pianist, attended the University of Southern California, and met Hackman in the mid-1980s while working at a gym in California.
Hackman devoted much of his time to his retirement to paint and write novels far from the Hollywood social circuit. He worked for several years on the board of the Georgia O’Keefe Museum in Santa Fe, and he and his wife were investors in local businesses.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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