Gene Hackman & Wife’s Deaths Deemed ‘Suspicious’ — ‘No Obvious Signs’ of Gas Leak: Cops
Share and Follow

New Mexico officials announced on Friday that both Gene Hackman and his wife died of natural causes.

Heather Jarrell, Office of the Medical Examiner’s Chief Medical Examiner, said Hackman, 95, died of heart disease, while his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, 65, had hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and tested positive for hantavirus. Alzheimer’s disease was listed as a contributing factor in Hackman’s death, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Hackman and Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe home on February 27. Arakawa was discovered on the bathroom floor, in the same room where pills were scattered on the countertop. Hackman was in the mud room with sunglasses at his side.

READ: Gene Hackman & Wife’s Deaths Deemed ‘Suspicious’ — ‘No Obvious Signs’ of Gas Leak

Zenna, the couple’s kelpie mix, was found dead in a kennel in a bathroom closet near Arakawa’s body. Their two other dogs were found alive on the property.

Early on, police debunked rumors of carbon monoxide poisoning, noting there was no evidence of a gas leak. They also noted that there were no signs of forced entry despite the front door being open.

On Friday, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said surveillance footage and other data indicated Arakawa died around February 11 and Hackman died on February 18.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reported that about three to four cases of hantavirus are reported annually. In the southwest, the virus is deadly in 38 to 50 percent of cases.

This story is developing…

[Feature Photo: AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File]

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Urgent Search: Illinois Police Appeal for Public’s Help in Locating Missing, Possibly Disoriented Man

An Illinois family is reaching out to the public for information regarding…

Inmate Faces New Charges After Assaulting Visitor Over Failed Contraband Smuggling Attempt

Staff Report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A 32-year-old inmate at the Alachua County…

Holiday Tragedy: CVS Employee Fatally Stabbed During Attempted Robbery

Background: News footage of the CVS in Lindenhurst, N.Y., where Edeedson Cine…

Gainesville Shock: Man Arrested for Endangering Family in Vehicle Collision Involving Kids

Staff Report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A Gainesville resident, Tyler Ashton Carter, 30,…

Tragic Construction Mishap: 73-Year-Old in Wheelchair Suffers Fatal Injuries in Fall – Family Files Lawsuit

Inset: Carl Wescott (Albany Democrat-Herald/Jennifer Hunking). Background: The Oregon intersection where Carl…

Prison Guard Allegedly Traps State Welfare Workers in Office Over Child Support Dispute

Inset: Quantraves Hall (Warner Robins Police Department). Background: A state office building…

Chilling Christmas Eve Incident: Hotel Guest Discovered with Blood After Attempted Attack on Sleeping Companion

Inset: Uberclein Vazquez Villareal (DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office). Background: The Illinois…

Father Responds to Grand Jury’s Indictment of 14-Year-Old in Florida Teen’s Tragic Murder

The father of a Florida teenager insists that his son has been…