Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy ArakawaThey were found dead alongside their dog in their New Mexico home on February 26, 2025. Hackman was 95 years old, and his wife was 65 years old.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza The deaths were confirmed in a statement Santa Fe New Mexicovia The Guardianon February 27: “We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead on Wednesday.”
After police investigated the cause of death, more details emerged about the couple’s final moments. Learn more about their cause of death here.
What happened to Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa?
In Sheriff Mendoza’s initial report, authorities stated that they found the bodies of an elderly man and a woman in her 60s. He sought to reassure the public, saying: “I want to assure the community and neighborhood that there is no immediate danger to anyone. We do not believe crime was a factor in their deaths; however, the exact cause of death has not been determined at this time.”
While police initially ruled out foul play, the case later took a turn when investigators described the circumstances as “suspicious” in a search warrant. According to the memorandum, the scene raised enough concerns to warrant a comprehensive investigation. Among the findings: The front door was open and unlocked, a healthy dog was seen running loose on the property, another dog was found near Arakawa, and a third dog died. It appears that a space heater has been moved and is located near Arakawa.
The warrant also noted that the couple was found in separate rooms of their Santa Fe home and that they had been dead for some time. Hackman was discovered in a mud room, while Arakawa was found in the bathroom next to the fireplace. Nearby, an open prescription bottle and pills were found scattered on the countertop.
the Daily Mail It also reported that firefighters were called to the property over concerns about a possible gas leak or carbon monoxide poisoning, but there were no signs of a gas leak. The outlet added that Hackman was fully clothed, and his sunglasses were found next to his body, indicating that he may have died as a result of a sudden fall.
The bodies of Hackman and Arakawa, which the government described as “partially mummified.” Daily Mailwas not officially identified until 12:30 a.m. on February 27 (2:30 a.m. ET). The couple had three dogs, and two of them were found alive, wandering around the house.
Cause of death of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy
More than a week after their death, the reasons were revealed, according to what he said E! news. The outlet reported that Arakawa died of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome — a rare but severe respiratory disease transmitted through rodent urine, droppings or saliva. On April 15, authorities released records showing that Arakawa searched online for flu-like symptoms and breathing techniques between February 8 and the morning of February 12.
Arakawa is believed to have died on February 12. Dr. Josiah Childsaid the former emergency care specialist and owner of Cloudberry Health in Santa Fe Daily Mail Arakawa called the clinic and spoke with doctors, who advised her to come in that afternoon. “We made an appointment for her, but she never showed up,” he added. “She did not show any symptoms of shortness of breath. The appointment was not for anything related to Hanta virus. We tried to contact her several times with no response.”
As for Hackman, he is believed to have died about a week after his wife’s death on February 18, 2025. The late actor’s cause of death was ruled to be hypertension and cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), which is hardening of the arteries, with Alzheimer’s disease acting as a contributing factor, according to E! news. The medical examiner noted that Hackman’s Alzheimer’s disease was “advanced,” and “he was likely unaware of it.” [Arakawa] “He was deceased.”
The death of Hackman and Arakawa’s dog was linked to dehydration and starvation.
How long were Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa together?
Hackman and Arakawa have been married since 1991. They began dating in the mid-1980s after Hackman separated from his first wife. Fay MalteseHe married him in 1956 and divorced her three decades later.
1989 profile in New York times male Hackman has been living quietly for the past five years with “a 28-year-old woman named Betsy Arakawa, a classical pianist he met while working part-time at a fitness center in California.”
Before filing the profile, Hackman explained in a 1985 newspaper interview South Florida Sun Guardian Which His divorce from Maltese was not because he left her for a younger woman. “We just drifted apart. We lost sight of each other. When you’re in this business, marriage takes a lot of work and love,” he explained.
By 1990, Hackman and Arakawa settled in a newly built house in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they lived until their deaths.
Do Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa have children?
Hackman and Arakawa did not have any children together.
However, the actor had three children with his Maltese ex-wife. daughter, Christopher Allen HackmanHe was born in 1960 and has a daughter Elizabeth Jean Hackman In 1962 and his daughter Lesley Ann Hackman In 1966.
