Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their New Mexico home on February 26, 2025. Initially, police reported no signs of foul play. However, hours later, a search warrant revealed “suspicious” activity surrounding the couple’s death. Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 63, were discovered under mysterious circumstances, with reports mentioning the “mummification” of Arakawa, which raised concerns.
Now, the causes of death for both the actor and the pianist have been revealed.
Below, we’re breaking down everything we know about the details surrounding Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths.
What Happened to Gene Hackman & Betsy Arakwa?
According to initial reports, the Santa Fe sheriff informed the community that they did not suspect foul play.
“I want to assure the community and neighborhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone,” Sheriff Adan Mendoza said. “We do not believe foul play was a factor in their deaths; however, exact cause of death has not been determined at this time. … All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant.”
Hours after the news broke, a search warrant obtained by TMZ indicated that a Sante Fe detective wrote in an affidavit that Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths were “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation because the reporting party found the front door of the residence unsecured and opened, deputies observed a healthy dog running loose on the property, another healthy dog near the deceased female, a deceased dog laying 10 to 15 feet from the deceased female in a closet of the bathroom, the heater being moved, the pill bottle being opened and pills scattered next to the female, the male decedent being located in a separate room of the residence, and no obvious signs of a gas leak.”
The outlet further reported that Arakawa was discovered on the ground in a bathroom, with a space heater near her head. The deputy believed that the heater could have fallen if she fell to the ground, per TMZ. The deputy also saw a prescription bottle of pills scattered on a countertop near Arakawa, and her body was in a state of decomposition because her face was bloated and there were signs of mummification in her hands and feet.
As for Hackman, the French Connection actor was found in a different room away from his wife. He was fully dressed, and cops suspected that he fell to the ground because his sunglasses were located next to his body. The search warrant did not indicate signs of mummification on Hackman.
Furthermore, the fire department determined that there were no signs of a gas leak, disproving the carbon monoxide rumors that spread on social media.
“As of now, there are no signs or evidence indicating there were any problems associated to the pipes in and around the residence,” the New Mexico Gas Company said in a statement, per TMZ.
What Does Mummified Mean?
Mummification is the preservation of a dead body through embalming either naturally or intentionally. Most people know the term “mummified” from ancient Egyptian history when people would wrap the dead in bandages to protect the body from rotting.
Gene Hackman’s Cause of Death
More than a week after their deaths, Hackman and Arakawa’s causes of death were revealed, according to E! News. The outlet reported that surveillance footage of Arakawa is believed to have died on February 11, 2025, and her cause of death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is a severe respiratory illness transmitted through rodent urine, droppings and saliva.
As for Hackman, he is believed to have died a week after his wife on February 18, 2025. The late actor’s cause of death was ruled to be hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), which is the hardening of the arteries, with Alzheimer’s Disease acting as a contributing factor, per E! News. The medical investigator pointed out that Hackman’s Alzheimer’s was in an “advanced state,” and “it’s quite possible that he was not aware that [Arakawa] was deceased.”
Hackman and Arakawa’s dog’s cause of death is still under investigation. Authorities noted that dogs can’t contract hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
