Gene Hackman died of cardiovascular disease, wife died a week earlier of hantavirus: Officials

The causes of deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were revealed by authorities on Friday, more than one week after the couple was mysteriously found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home.

Hackman died from “hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor,” Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief medical investigator for the state’s Office of the Medical Investigator, said.

“Autopsy examination and a full body post mortem CT examination demonstrated no acute findings of internal or external trauma, and showed severe heart disease, including multiple surgical procedures involving the heart, evidence of prior heart attacks and severe changes of the kidneys due to chronic High Blood Pressure,” Jarrell noted.

Hackman probably died around Feb. 18 and his wife likely died around Feb. 11, she said. 

Hackman was likely home with his deceased wife for one week before he died, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said.

Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease transmitted through rodent urine, droppings or saliva, officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the disease “initially causes flu-like symptoms that can progress to more severe illness where people have trouble breathing.”

The Academy Award-winning actor, 95, and his wife, 65, were found dead during a Feb. 26 welfare check, with no obvious signs of how they died, the sheriff’s office said. Hackman was discovered on the floor in the mud room, according to the search warrant, while Arakawa was found lying on her side on the floor in a bathroom.

One of the couple’s three dogs was found dead in a crate about 10 to 15 feet from Arakawa’s body, officials said.