Santa Fe officials reveal Gene Hackman’s and wife Betsy Arakawa’s cause of death
SANTA FE, N.M. (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - Authorities in Santa Fe, New Mexico, say actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease, compounded by severe Alzheimer's disease, about a week after his wife passed away from a virus.
The 95-year-old actor and his 65-year-old wife were found dead in their home on February 26.
New Mexico State Medical Examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell says it appears Betsy Arakawa Hackman died around February 11 of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is caused by contact with rodent excrement.
She said Gene Hackman's pacemaker data stopped on February 18, a week after his wife died.
"The question was, 'What about starvation?' There was no food in his stomach, which means that he had not eaten recently, but that he had also no evidence of dehydration...He had significant heart disease and I think ultimately that resulted, resulted in his death," Jarrell reported.
The medical examiner says Hackman also suffered from severe kidney problems.
Authorities say they do not know whether Hackman was aware of his wife's death during the week before he passed away, due to his severe Alzheimer's disease.
