Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman died from heart disease and complications related to Alzheimer’s, while his wife, Betsy Arakawa, succumbed to a rare respiratory illness, according to findings released by New Mexico authorities. The couple, who had lived privately in Santa Fe for decades, died about a week apart in their home before being discovered on February 26.
A forensic report from the New Mexico Chief Medical Examiner’s office detailed that Hackman, 95, passed away due to hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s as a contributing factor. His pacemaker reportedly stopped functioning on or around February 17, indicating the estimated time of his death. Autopsy results showed no signs of trauma, but evidence suggested Hackman had not eaten for several days prior to his death.
Arakawa, 65, died first, likely on February 11, after contracting Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a severe respiratory illness linked to exposure to rodent droppings. According to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, surveillance footage showed her visiting a Sprouts Farmers Market and a local pharmacy on February 11 before returning home in the early evening. Her computer records indicated no activity after that date.
The couple was discovered in different rooms of their residence after maintenance workers entered the property. Authorities noted that one of their dogs was also found deceased in a closet, while another dog remained alive. The home showed no signs of forced entry or hazardous environmental conditions such as a gas leak. Investigators found an open pill bottle near Arakawa, but the scattered medication—Diltiazem, Tylenol, and thyroid pills—was deemed unrelated to her death.
Sheriff Mendoza confirmed that while the investigation was nearly complete, some details were still being finalized. “There are a few loose ends that we need to tie up,” he told reporters.
Hackman, a two-time Academy Award winner, was widely recognized for his performances in The French Connection (1971) and Unforgiven (1992). He also earned Oscar nominations for Bonnie and Clyde (1967), I Never Sang for My Father (1970), and Mississippi Burning (1988). His career spanned decades, with roles in Superman (1978), The Conversation (1974), Hoosiers (1986), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), and Runaway Jury (2003). His final film appearance was in Welcome to Mooseport (2004), after which he retired from acting and lived a quiet life with Arakawa in New Mexico.
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At the 97th Academy Awards on March 2, Hackman was honored with a tribute presented by Morgan Freeman, his co-star in Unforgiven and Under Suspicion. “Like everyone who ever shared a scene with him, I learned he was a generous performer and a man whose gifts elevated everyone’s work,” Freeman said, bringing many in attendance to tears.
