Gene Hackman's Tragic Wife Betsy Arakawa's Final Hours Revealed: How 65-Year-Old Ran Errands and Sent Emails While Being Eaten Alive by Rare Rat Virus — Leaving Frail Actor Husband, 95, Alone to Endure 7 DAYS of Dementia Torment Before His Death
Gene Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa was running household errands hours before her death, including visits to a pharmacy and pet store.
March 10 2025, Published 1:48 p.m. ET
Gene Hackman's wife was running household errands hours before she died from a rare rat virus.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Betsy Arakawa, 65, emailed her massage therapist, brought groceries and visited both a pharmacy and a pet store leading up to her shock passing.
Arakawa and Hackman's double death sparked a mass of wild theories about the circumstances of their passing.
She had a string of unopened emails on her computer from February 11 and no outgoing messages after that date, leading officials to believe she died around then.
The pianist was found collapsed on the bathroom floor before the medical examiner determined she died of hantavirus.
Hantavirus spreads when exposed to rodents' urine, droppings, and saliva, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hackman died not knowing his wife was lying lifeless on the bathroom floor due to his extreme Alzheimer's.
While she lay lifeless, 95-year-old Hackman — who was suffering from the debilitating effects of Alzheimer's — is believed to have died seven days later on February 18.
He tragically lived alongside his wife's body, likely not knowing she was dead.
Reports confirming how the couple died put an end to mounting conspiracy theories surrounding their deaths.
Arakawa's decomposed body was found in the bathroom of their four-bedroom house, surrounded by scattered pills from an open prescription bottle on the counter.
The couple's dog, Zinna, was also found dead in a crate in the bathroom near Arakawa's body.
Zinna's cause of death was still pending necropsy results, but officials said on Friday that hantavirus is not a possible reason.
Two other dogs were found distressed but alive at the home.
Meanwhile, Hackman was found collapsed in the home's mudroom with his sunglasses and a cane nearby.
A search warrant revealed cops noted the legendary actor looked like he fell to the ground suddenly.
Hackman was found collapsed in his home's mudroom with his sunglasses and cane nearby.
Data pulled from the actor's pacemaker revealed an abnormal rhythm on February 18, New Mexico's chief medical examiner Dr Heather Jarrell said, which was the last record of heart activity.
His autopsy revealed he had no food in his stomach at the time of his death — but he also didn't show signs of dehydration, the medical examiner said.
Hackman's autopsy also showed evidence of poor kidney function and prior heart attacks, as well as chronic high blood pressure.
He tested negative for hantavirus, Jarrell revealed.
Neither autopsy found evidence of internal or external trauma.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
A 'caretaker' made a frantic 911 call after discovering Hackman and Arakawa's bodies.
The heartbreaking news comes after initial autopsy reports revealed the couple had no obvious wounds on their bodies when they died.
An initial report also ruled out carbon monoxide and gas leaks as a potential cause of death.
Several initially confusing details emerged when cops rushed to the scene after a neighborhood caretaker called 911 when he found Hackman and Arakawa unmoving in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The panicked caller told dispatchers: "I'm not inside the house. It's closed. It's locked. I can't go in. But I see them. She's laying face down on the floor from the window."
When cops arrived at the Hackmans' $3.8million mansion, they found the door ajar, but there weren't any signs of forced entry.
The couple was extremely private in their final years, living in a cul-de-sac of their gated community.
Neighbors who saw the couple walking their dogs in recent years said they were always delighted to see fellow pup lovers.
Hackman is survived by two daughters and a son from a previous marriage.
