Gene Hackman's Rat Plague Revealed: How Iconic Hollywood Star's Home Was Hoarder Horror Show Before Sad Dementia Death
April 16 2025, Published 9:38 a.m. ET
Bodycam footage from inside Gene Hackman's hoarder home has exposed the harrowing living conditions of the Alzheimer's hit Oscar-winner.
RadarOnline.com can reveal newly released police videos from inside his New Mexico property, where the actor and wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in February, also showed the couple's dog found just feet from his partner's body.
Hackman's home was cluttered with various objects.
The sides of a sink are also seen in the footage littered with toiletries and bottles of medication.
And what appears to be a bathtub is filled to the brim with boxes, books and documents.
Cops walked through the kitchen as well as private bedrooms and miscellaneous rooms, which were shockingly shown to have been completely cluttered with dog crates, beds, books, documents and boxes.
One deputy could be heard in the footage insinuating that law enforcement had been told the couple were "very private people, like very".
Clothing was scattered throughout.
Clothes are also seen piled up high in various rooms, with still-bagged dry cleaning hung up and what appears to be dirty laundry tossed in a mountainous heap.
Arakawa, 65, was found to have died on February 11 from a rare rodent disease called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome — a week before the Hollywood legend, 95, passed away.
In one walk-in closet, a pet crate was found containing the remains of the couple's other dog, a 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mix.
Deputies also walked to the side of the home where Hackman's body was tragically found.
One deputy is heard saying: "It looks like he was trying to go outside."
The bodycam footage additionally shows deputies opening doors and windows to air out the one, with one saying that it "smells like gas."
One of the couple's dogs stood among the mess.
Carbon monoxide poisoning was initially discovered as a cause of death, but was later ruled out by investigators.
A few days ago, a dead rat, nest and droppings were found at various parts of the sprawling $4million property.
There were rodent faeces in three garages, two casitas and three sheds.
A live rodent, a dead rodent and an entire nest were found in the three detached garages, according to the New Mexico medical investigator's office.
The New Mexico Department of Health initially reported that there was no rodent activity in the main house.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa have been laid to rest at a private ceremony.
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However, all the other eight outbuildings and two vehicles on the property were accessible to rodents, the report revealed.
In these outbuildings, live traps were also discovered.
According to experts, Arakawa could have picked up the deadly disease by cleaning those specific areas of the property.
Arakawa had also researched Covid-19 symptoms on the internet days before her tragic death.
On February 8 and February 12, Arakawa's computer showed that she was searching medical conditions linked to Covid-19 and flu-like symptoms, according to a report that authorities released on Tuesday.
She was researching whether Covid-19 could cause dizziness or nosebleeds.
Her last internet search was on the morning of February 12 when she looked for a healthcare provider in her city.
Arakawa also said in an email to her masseuse that Hackman woke up with flu or cold-like symptoms on February 11.
She said her husband tested negative for Covid-19 but that she would have to reschedule her appointment "out of an abundance of caution."
