How did Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa die? Medical examiner says both died of natural causes

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa's deaths now have an update, with New Mexico officials ruling that they died of "natural causes." The update comes after the couple, along with one of their three dogs, were found dead inside their home in Santa Fe on February 26, 2025.

Two maintenance workers reportedly found their bodies while visiting their property, with the legendary actor in a room near the kitchen while her classical pianist wife was found on the floor in a bathroom. A German Shepherd dog, which was inside a crate, was also found dead. The two other dogs were found loose on the property.

While the cause of their deaths was unknown at the time, the Sa Fe Sheriff's Department suspected that there was no foul play involved. However, in a press conference on February 28, Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza backtracked, saying that investigators are "not ruling it out." He further said that the deaths were "suspicious," and there's an ongoing investigation to figure out what happened.

Mendoza also mentioned that Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were believed to have been "deceased for quite a while" before they were found. Previous reports mentioned that Arakawa's body visibly showed signs of "decomposition" and "mummification," per BBC. Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya said, per CNN, that mummification usually starts around two weeks after a person dies.

Among the initial suspected cause of death was carbon monoxide poisoning, which Hackman's daughter, Elizabeth, shared with TMZ on February 27. However, authorities have since ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning after both Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa tested negative for it.

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More on Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa's causes of death

After the mystery of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa's deaths and much speculation on what causes their demise, the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator finally has the answers. In a press conference on Friday, March 7, 2025, the couple died by "natural causes," although they noted that it happened around six days apart.

According to the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator's chief medical investigator, Dr. Heather Jarrell, Arakawa likely passed away on February 11, while Hackman died on February 18, based on his pacemaker information.

Arakawa's cause of death was revealed to be hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The disease comes from the hantavirus, which is a rare infection spread by rodents via their secretions like urine, saliva, and droppings.

Gene Hackman, however, turned out negative for the virus. His cause of death, per the autopsy, was "severe heart disease." Autopsy results didn't find any trauma in the French Connection actor's body but showed multiple heart surgeries, implying that he previously had heart attacks. Per Jarrell:

"He was in a very poor state of health. He had a significant heart disease, and I think ultimately this is what resulted to his death."

His autopsy also showed some changes in his kidneys because of high blood pressure, according to Jarrell. Moreover, the investigation of the actor's brain showed that he had advanced Alzheimer's disease, which she thought was another contributing factor that ultimately led to the legendary actor's passing.

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Netizens and celebrities have offered their condolences and paid tributes to the late Gene Hackman and his wife in the wake of their passing.