Authorities on Friday revealed the causes of death for actor Gene Hackman and his wife, saying the couple is believed to have died a full week apart at their home in New Mexico from two different diseases.
The chief medical examiner in Santa Fe said the actor’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from a rare lung infection known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome on Feb. 11.
The condition starts off with flu-like symptoms, but can lead to vomiting, abdominal pain and severe difficulty breathing.
The examiner, Dr. Heather Jarrell, said Hackman died as a result of heart disease and showed signs of advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Based on pacemaker data, it’s believed he died on Feb. 18 — seven days after his wife.
Authorities believe Hackman, 95, was alone in the house with his wife’s body during that time. He was potentially unaware Arakawa had died due to the progression of his Alzheimer’s, Jarrell said.
“It’s quite possible he was not aware she was deceased,” the medical examiner said at a news conference Friday.
The couple’s partially mummified bodies weren’t discovered at their home until Feb. 26 — two weeks after Arakawa is believed to have died and eight days after Hackman died.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office has said it does not suspect foul play, and tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. The couple’s dog was also found dead in its crate.
More to come.
