Gene Hackman’s condition was shrouded in mystery after his death alongside wife Betsy Arakawa at their New Mexico home. Two months later, new information has emerged. The late actor, who died of natural causes at 95, tested negative for hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, according to reports from Fox News and The Associated Press.
Arakawa, 65, had previously confirmed to have died of the rare disease contracted through contact with mouse droppings. However, Hackman’s medical examiner, Dr. Heather Jarrell, stated that a hantavirus infection was unlikely to be a contributing factor in his death.
Hackman suffered from heart disease and complications caused by Alzheimer’s disease, with his pacemaker showing activity for the last time on February 18. He “probably died around Feb. 18,” Jarrell noted, citing Hackman’s poor health state at the time of death.
The medical examiner suggested that Arakawa likely passed away first, around February 11, based on communication records from her massage therapist. However, due to Hackman’s Alzheimer’s, it is possible he was unaware his wife had died.
Initially, authorities described the couple’s deaths as “suspicious,” but foul play was not suspected during their investigation. The autopsy revealed advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease in Hackman and a history of congestive heart failure.
Source: https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2025/04/28/gene-hackman-autopsy-hantavirus/83316365007