Gene Hackman's Final Autopsy Report Reveals New Details About the Actor's Waning Health in His Final Days
Gene Hackman's final autopsy was released.
April 27 2025, Published 5:45 p.m. ET
New details surrounding the death of Hollywood icon Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, have been released with the medical examiner's final autopsy, RadarOnline.com can report.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa's bodies were found by their contractor.
According to official documents from the Office of the Medical Investigator in New Mexico, the two-time Oscar-winning actor had a "history of congestive heart failure" and "severe chronic hypertensive changes, kidneys".
Hackman, who famously starred in several all-time classics like Superman and Unforgiven, had a "bi-ventricular pacemaker" placed back in April 2019, and his autopsy also noted "neurodegenerative features consistent with Alzheimer's Disease".
The autopsy showed "severe atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease", with placement of coronary artery stents and a bypass graft, as well as a previous aortic valve replacement.
As for his brain, the medical examiner also cited "microscopic findings of advanced stage Alzheimer's disease".
Gene Hackman had a history of congestive heart failure.
Medical professionals believed Hackman, suffering from severe Alzheimer's, likely spent his final days unaware his wife had passed away.
Dr. Heather Jarrell, Chief Medical Examiner for New Mexico at the office of the Medical Investigator, said: "It's quite possible that he was not aware that she was deceased."
During a press conference on Friday, March 7, the medical examiner revealed: "Mr Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease.
"He was in a very poor state of health.
"He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death."
The couple were married for 34 years.
After carbon monoxide poisoning was ruled out, it was later concluded that Arakawa, 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome first, around February 12, with Hackman, 95, dying a few days later on February 18 from severe heart disease, which was exacerbated by Alzheimer's disease and kidney disease.
A week after their bodies were discovered, the health assessment of the $4 million compound in Santa Fe took place and delivered some intriguing results.
The department concluded dead rodents and their nests were found in "eight detached outbuildings" on the Hackman property, making it a "breeding ground" for the hantavirus.
Hackman and Arakawa were found dead inside their $3.3million Santa Fe compound last month.
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As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the couple's $4 million New Mexico estate was infested with the rodents, and sources said that although the Hollywood legend was likely aware of the problem, he was too infirm to do anything to save Betsy's life.
Insiders told us the existence of the traps shows that someone in the house must have been trying to deal with the infestation.
"It's terribly tragic because it shows that they didn't go far enough in combating it," said a source. "It also means their deaths probably were preventable had the right measures been taken."
