Gene Hackman’s reason for dying was coronary heart illness, spouse died of hantavirus days earlier, officers say

New Mexico officers have introduced the reason for dying for actor Gene Hackman and his spouse Betsy Arakawa, per week after they have been discovered lifeless at their house in Santa Fe. Hackman died of coronary heart illness, with Alzheimer’s illness as a contributing issue, and Arakawa died a number of days earlier than him of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Chief Medical Investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell mentioned Friday.

Investigators had been attempting to find out a reason for dying for the couple since they died of their house final month.

How did Gene Hackman die?

Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, have been discovered lifeless of their house in a gated group in Santa Fe on Feb. 26, however seem to have died earlier within the month.

Hackman probably died round Feb. 18, when the final exercise was detected on his pacemaker, Jarrell mentioned throughout a Friday information convention.

An post-mortem decided that Hackman died of coronary heart illness and likewise suffered from superior Alzheimer’s. He examined unfavourable for hantavirus.

“He was in a really poor state of well being,” Jarrell mentioned. “He had important coronary heart illness, and I feel in the end that’s what resulted in his dying.”

Arakawa probably died first, with Feb. 11 being the final time that she was recognized to be alive, Jarrell mentioned. Individuals with hantavirus infections can initially really feel flu-like signs for roughly three to 6 days after which begin to have fluid in and round their lungs.

“At that time, an individual can die in a short time, inside 24-48 hours, roughly talking, with out medical therapy,” Jarrell mentioned. “It is not unusual to search out somebody down on the ground as a part of a terminal collapse, so to talk, and that will very effectively have been what occurred.”

Requested if Hackman was conscious of his spouse’s passing, Jarrell mentioned: “That query’s troublesome to reply, however I can let you know that he was in a sophisticated state of Alzheimer’s and it is fairly potential that he was not conscious that she was deceased.”

There was no meals in Hackman’s abdomen, which means he had not eaten just lately earlier than he died, Jarrell mentioned. She did not discover proof of dehydration.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza mentioned there was no indication of a caretaker on the house.

What’s hantavirus?

Hantaviruses are discovered worldwide, carried by rodents and transmitted from animals to people, Dr. Erin Phipps, the state public well being veterinarian with the New Mexico Well being Division, instructed reporters Friday. The hantavirus present in New Mexico is discovered all through the state, primarily in deer mice however in different rodents too, Phipps mentioned.

The hantavirus pressure within the Southwest has a mortality fee of about 38%-50%, Jarrell mentioned. Hantavirus will be contracted from publicity to excrement from a mouse species that carries the virus.

“Avoiding contact with or inhaling aerosolized rodent urine or feces, particularly in a poorly ventilated space, is essential,” Phipps mentioned.

The varied strains within the U.S. aren’t transmissible from individual to individual.

A hantavirus an infection is characterised by flu-like signs, together with fever, muscle aches, cough and typically vomiting and diarrhea that may progress to shortness of breath and coronary heart or lung failure, Jarrell mentioned.

The sickness is uncommon, with the state Well being Division reporting there have been solely seven confirmed circumstances of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in New Mexico in 2024. Within the final 50 years, officers have recognized 136 infections in New Mexico residents, together with 5 in Santa Fe County.

“It is a critical illness — 42% of those infections right here in New Mexico have been deadly,” Phipps mentioned. Most infections happen across the house or office, she mentioned.

State well being investigators performed a danger evaluation of the couple’s property Wednesday, Phipps mentioned. Whereas the primary residence itself was deemed a low danger for hantavirus publicity, indicators of rodent entry have been discovered on different buildings on the property, she mentioned.

Investigation into Hackman’s and Arakawa’s deaths

Mendoza mentioned final Friday there have been no obvious indicators of foul play within the deaths. The preliminary findings from the autopsies discovered no exterior trauma on both of the our bodies, Mendoza mentioned.

Hackman’s physique was present in a mudroom close to the kitchen with a cane and sun shades close by, in line with an affidavit for a search warrant.

The sheriff’s workplace discovered remedy for blood stress and thyroid points in addition to Tylenol throughout a search of the house, in line with a listing of the search filed in courtroom. Some capsules have been scattered on a rest room countertop close to the place Arakawa’s physique was discovered, in line with the affidavit. Mendoza would not say who was prescribed the remedy, citing affected person privateness legal guidelines.

One of many couple’s three canines additionally was discovered lifeless in a crate close to Arakawa, whereas their two different canines have been discovered alive. Phipps mentioned the canine might have died from dehydration or hunger. Canines do not get sick from hantavirus, she mentioned.

Investigators additionally collected two cellphones from the house and a month-to-month planner, Mendoza mentioned. No surveillance cameras had been discovered on the house, in line with the sheriff.

“I feel everyone right here understands that they have been very non-public people and a really non-public household,” Mendoza mentioned.

The sheriff’s workplace mentioned Tuesday that the corporate that gives pure fuel service for the house made no important findings after in search of fuel leaks and carbon monoxide, the colorless, odorless fuel that may be deadly by depriving folks from getting sufficient oxygen. Mendoza mentioned final Friday that each our bodies examined unfavourable for carbon monoxide.

Hackman, who gained Oscars for his performances in 1971’s “The French Connection” and the 1992 Western “Unforgiven,” was honored at Sunday’s Academy Awards in Los Angeles.

“He obtained two Oscars, however extra importantly, he gained the hearts of movie lovers everywhere in the world,” actor Morgan Freeman mentioned of Hackman on the awards ceremony. “Gene at all times mentioned, ‘I do not take into consideration legacy. I simply hope folks keep in mind me as somebody who tried to do good work.’ So I feel I communicate for us all after I say, Gene, you will be remembered for that and for a lot extra.”

contributed to this report.