EXCLUSIVE: Why Gene Hackman Never Had to Die — How Alzheimer's-Stricken Icon Spent His Six Final Days Terrified, Dazed and Crying for Help After Deadly Mistake Sealed His Grim Fate
Dementia-riddled Hackman was likely left alone for days after his wife's unexpected passing.
March 24 2025, Published 12:47 p.m. ET
Gene Hackman's secret and reclusive lifestyle might have inadvertently led to his shocking death, RadarOnline.com can report.
The decaying corpses of the 95-year-old Hollywood legend and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, weren't discovered until nine days after their deaths in Santa Fe.
Hackman and Arakawa, seen here in one of their last sightings, were found dead in their $4million Santa Fe home.
Hackman quit Hollywood nearly two decades ago, opting for a quieter life in New Mexico. However, he may have still been alive today, if he hadn't locked himself away from the world.
After an exhaustive investigation, it appears Arakawa likely passed away Feb. 11 from a rare rodent disease called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
The classical pianist had spent her last years serving as the primary caretaker for Hackman, who was ravaged by Alzheimer's disease and high blood pressure. It's very likely that after she passed, dementia-stricken Hackman could have unknowingly shuffled aimlessly around his house until his eventual death on Feb. 17.
A family friend shared: "It's just gut-wrenching to know that Gene lay dead in the entryway for more than two weeks before either of them were found."
Hackman had memorable roles in movies such as the 'Superman' series.
Hackman was speculated to have been wracked with confusion and despair after his wife's unexpected death, and was likely crying for help during his own final days, according to investigators.
Renowned longevity expert Dr. Gabe Mirkin, who did not treat the couple, said the story could have had a different outcome: "This is the danger of having only one caregiver. Even with his health problems, if Mr. Hackman had been institutionalized – or at least had a professional assisted living caregiver – he may well have lived to be 100.
Sources said the Superman star's heart pills were found scattered on a counter near Arakawa. The autopsy found Hackman, while hydrated, had no food in his stomach.
Mirkin suggested: "Mr. Hackman may have been trying to take his medication, but didn't know how.
"He likely didn't know, or was unable to process, that his wife had died. A demented person just cannot recognize things and the situation they are in. And he probably couldn't eat because food had been given to him and he was no longer able to do things for himself."
Arakawa was his only caregiver.
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Longtime friends said they they hadn't seen Hackman since before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Family members admitted they hadn't heard from the couple in months.
Arakawa was often seen outside their gated community and was even spotted at a pharmacy and buying groceries on what was believed to be her final day alive.
A friend shared: "Betsy was well-liked in the community, and certainly her heart was in the right place when it came to looking out for Gene. But it was a tragic mistake in being his sole caregiver and keeping Gene away from the world.
"I am sure that in her mind she never thought she would go first, but when she caught this horrible virus and died, it left Gene all alone – with him no longer having any ability to fend for himself."
