According to a recent source, Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, passed away in their Santa Fe County, California, home one week prior to the actor’s passing, and he spent his last days in seclusion.
It is likely that Mr. Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner, was not aware of the death of his principal caretaker, Ms. Arakawa. He had advanced Alzheimer’s disease. She passed away with Hantavirus, a rare virus spread by mice.
Investigators believe Mr. Hackman survived for about a week before passing away from heart disease because he was too frail and disoriented to seek medical help, according to The Guardian. He needed his wife to take care of his medications, run errands around the house, and even do the most basic chores.
According to his medical assessment, the actor had a history of heart illness and excessive blood pressure.
On February 26, a maintenance worker reported to the police that the couple’s front door was open, and they were discovered dead in their apartment. Another employee who arrived informed the authorities that they had not seen the homeowners very often and that they had last spoken to them roughly two weeks prior.
Their remains were discovered in different parts of the house by first-hand investigators.
The body of Ms. Arakawa and her dog, Zinna, were both lying in the bathroom. Her house was also claimed to have an open orange bottle with pills all over it. The body of Mr. Hackman was found close to the couple’s kitchen in a mudroom. He had his walking cane and sunglasses close at hand, and he was fully dressed.
Erin Phipps, a state public health veterinarian in New Mexico, said their dog Zinna may have perished from malnutrition and dehydration. The results of the dog’s necropsy are still pending.
Mr. Hackman’s prior marriage produced three children. Two of the three dogs he and Ms. Arakawa owned were at a shelter when they passed away.
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