Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, who passed away at 95, had been in an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s and died from heart disease and other complications, according to autopsy results released on Friday in New Mexico.
The actor’s death followed just days after that of his wife, 64-year-old Betsy Arakawa, who succumbed to a rare virus spread by mice.
The couple and one of their dogs were discovered dead on February 26 in separate rooms of their Santa Fe home. The deaths were confirmed to have been caused by Hackman’s heart disease and the hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which took Arakawa’s life.
At a press conference held at the Santa Fe Sheriff's office, Sheriff Adan Mendoza explained that Hackman’s advanced Alzheimer’s likely contributed to him being unaware of his wife’s death. “I would assume that is the case,” Mendoza said when asked by a reporter about Hackman’s ability to perceive Arakawa’s passing.
Heather Jarrell, Chief Medical Investigator at the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, confirmed that it was possible Hackman, in his advanced Alzheimer’s state, was unaware of Arakawa’s death. “He was in an advanced state of Alzheimer’s and it is quite possible he was not aware she was deceased,” Jarrell stated.
Arakawa’s death is believed to have occurred around February 11, according to authorities, who based this on the date of her last email. Jarrell also concluded that Hackman died on February 18, based on his pacemaker activity.
The hantavirus, which caused Arakawa’s death, is a rare disease in the United States, with most cases concentrated in the western states of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. In northern New Mexico, it is primarily spread through the droppings and urine of deer mice.
The virus is typically transmitted through the air when people clean areas where mice have been living, such as sheds or closets. It begins with flu-like symptoms and can result in severe heart and lung failure, with a fatality rate ranging from 38% to 50%.
New Mexico has reported between one and seven hantavirus cases annually in recent years, according to state health data. Despite state health inspectors finding no specific signs of rodents inside the couple’s home, Erin Phipps, New Mexico's State Veterinarian, confirmed that rodent activity was detected in external structures on the property.
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