Authorities have revealed the cause of the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.
Heather Jarrell, the lead medical researcher at the New Mexico Medical Researcher’s Office, said Hackman “death from hypertension and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, and as a key factor in Alzheimer’s disease.”
Meanwhile, Arakawa died of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease carried by rodents. This is described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which initially causes “influenza-like symptoms that can progress to more severe diseases where people struggle to breathe.”
The couple was estimated to have died about a week apart, and after his wife passed away on February 11th, Hackman passed around February 18th.
Investigators said it may be that Hackman had not known his wife had died of Alzheimer’s disease.
Hackman and Arakawa, along with one of the dogs, were found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico on February 26th. The next day, investigators said their deaths were “suspected” after they felt “there were no obvious signs of a gas leak” and that the front door of their home was “opened unsecured.”
According to a search warrant, Hackman’s body was found in a mud room, and Arakawa was found in the toilet with a space heater near her head. The deceased dog was located in a bathroom closet about 10-15 feet from Arakawa’s body.
(TagStoTRASSLATE) Gene Hackman