The report on the causes of death of actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa revealed that the pianist died due to a rare pulmonary infection called hantavirus, which has high mortality rates. Authorities in New Mexico, the city where the Oscar-winning actor's house was located, explained that Betsy Arakawa died approximately seven days before the actor, with February 11 being the estimated date of her passing. Gene Hackman died on February 18, as determined by the forensic experts through his pacemaker.
Betsy Arakawa was found dead in her bathroom, and the last time she was seen was on February 11 when she went to a pharmacy. Although it is not known how quickly the pianist died, it is known that hantavirus can progress rapidly. Hantavirus is transmitted by rodents, with the deer mouse being one of the species that spreads the disease in North America. This virus is found in the urine and feces of rodents, and a person can become infected by inhaling dust contaminated with the waste, touching contaminated objects, or being bitten by an infected mouse.
Symptoms of hantavirus include chills, fever, muscle aches, difficulty breathing, dry cough, headache, nausea, vomiting, and irregular heart rate. The disease can cause damage to lung tissues, fluid buildup in the lungs, and problems with pulmonary and cardiac function. The mortality rate ranges from 30 to 50%, depending on the strain of the virus.
In the last days of Gene Hackman, he experienced loneliness after his wife passed away a week before him. It was revealed that the actor exhibited signs of being in an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that he possibly did not know that his wife had died. The autopsy also found that Hackman's stomach was empty at the time of his death, indicating that he may have gone several days without eating after his wife's death.
