VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Gene Hackman's Wife Betsy Appeared Healthy in Last Known Footage Just Hours Before Couple Were Found Dead in Rat-Infested Mansion
April 16 2025, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
Gene Hackman's wife, Betsy Arakawa, looked to be in good shape and spry in the last known video to include her.
Friends told RadarOnline.com the classical pianist was a health nut – before her shocking death from a rare disease.
Betsy Arakawa was last seen shopping in a Sprouts.
Just hours before investigators believe she died, Arakawa, 65, was seen shopping for groceries in her local Sprouts Farmer's Market, which is known for its wide selection of natural and organic foods.
In exclusive video obtained by RadarOnline.com, Arakawa nonchalantly enters the store and grabs a shopping cart. She is dressed for the seasonal February weather, in a light jacket and jeans, and holds a shopping list in her hand as she starts her trip.
She was also noticeably wearing a protective black facemask in public.
She served as her husband Hackman's personal caretaker.
Arakawa had 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.
She was researching whether COVID 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 the same day she went shopping.
She said her husband tested negative for COVID-19 but that she would have to reschedule her appointment "out of an abundance of caution."
Arakawa was noticeably wearing a facemask.
Autopsy results conducted after Arakawa was discovered in her bathroom revealed symptoms including fever and muscle aches.
Experts soon determined she likely died from a disease called hantavirus, spread by infected rodent droppings. The disease is extremely rare, with only 864 cases documented in the US between 1993 and 2022.
A dead rat, nest, and droppings were found at various parts of Hackman's sprawling $4million property. There were rodent feces 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.
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Arkawa's death was even sadder when considering friends called her a picture of health.
In exclusive police body cam footage obtained by RadarOnline.com, their friend Joey Padilla, who also looked after their three dogs when they were away, revealed how shocked he was that she passed first.
Talking to investigators, he said: "It’s crazy because Betsy is a lot younger than Gene. And, like, she was super healthy. She was like a health freak."
Padilla added the classical pianist took great strides to care for her health: "She got acupuncture. She (ate) healthy foods, everything."
According to Padilla, Arakawa never had any medical issues of her own and spent the past several years acting as Hackman's personal caretaker.
He added: "She always dealt with Gene. I mean, she always was like, anything he needed, you know, to take care of them. But she was healthy."
