At NY Times around 75 minutes ago:
Gene Hackman Died a Week After His Wife, Both From Natural Causes
The actor’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died of a respiratory illness linked to rodents, New Mexico officials said. Mr. Hackman had Alzheimer’s, which contributed to his death from heart disease.
Listen to this article · 6:26 min
Learn more
Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles in 1989. They were found dead at their New Mexico home in late February.Credit...Ralph Dominguez/MediaPunch/IPX, via AP
By
Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and
Julia Jacobs
Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs reported from Santa Fe, N.M., and Julia Jacobs from New York.
March 7, 2025Updated 9:21 p.m. ET
Leer en español
The actor Gene Hackman died from heart disease about a week after his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died in a separate room of their New Mexico home from a virus linked to rodents, the authorities said on Friday.
The revelation that the famous and reclusive couple had died of natural causes put to rest much of the speculation that followed the discovery of their bodies on Feb. 26. But it also raised new questions about the state of mind of Mr. Hackman, who investigators said had advanced Alzheimer’s disease, and why the couple was not discovered sooner.
Ms. Arakawa, 65, had run a series of errands on Feb. 11, but the authorities could find no evidence of any activity after that, suggesting that she could have died that day. Mr. Hackman, 95, is believed to have died about a week later, on Feb. 18, according to New Mexico’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Heather Jarrell.
Mr. Hackman was found on the floor of the mudroom in the couple’s home, near his cane, while
Ms. Arakawa was found on a bathroom floor, beside a counter with common medication scattered about that investigators later determined did not play a role in her death. They were not discovered until Feb. 26, when a maintenance worker arrived to the couple’s home east of Santa Fe and grew worried when no one answered the door. The worker contacted a security guard, who called 911.
Dr. Jarrell said it was possible, given Mr. Hackman’s Alzheimer’s disease, that he did not know that his wife had died. It was unclear whether Mr. Hackman was able to take care of himself on his own. Autopsies were performed on the couple, Dr. Jarrell said, and Mr. Hackman’s showed that his stomach was empty, meaning he had not eaten recently, but she said he did not appear to be dehydrated.
Sheriff Adan Mendoza of Santa Fe County said investigators did not find any evidence that Mr. Hackman had communicated with anyone after his wife’s death.
www.salon.com
Facebook
Twitter