Final Cause of Death Released For Gene Hackman

Yahoo

28-04-2025

The final autopsy report for the deaths of Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, have been released this weekend.
Hackman, who starred in big-time movies like "Hoosiers," "Unforgiven," "Enemy of the State" and more, was found dead in his Santa Fe, New Mexico home earlier this year. His wife, Betsy Arakawa, was also found dead.
Reports suggested that both Hackman and his wife had been dead for a couple of days before they were found inside their home. Initial autopsy reports revealed that Hackman, 95, died from heart problems, along with complications due to Alzheimer's. Meanwhile, his wife was believed to have died from a virus spread by rodents.
The final autopsy report has given their ultimate causes of death.
The Office of the Medical Investigator in New Mexico has released final autopsy reports for both Gene Hackman and his wife this weekend.
Hackman died from his "history of congestive heart failure" and "severe chronic hypertensive changes" to his kidneys, according to the final autopsy. He also went a long time without eating. Hackman tested positive for "neurodegenerative features consistent with Alzheimer's Disease."
The fact that Hackman died after not eating for a while lines up with the timeline, too.
His wife, Betsy Arakawa, is believed to have died a couple of days prior to him. Hackman was not believed to be in a physical or mental state to take care of himself.
Arakawa died from Hantavirus, a disease spread by rodents. Their New Mexico home was found extremely cluttered and dirty, with rodent droppings all over the place.
The couple was ultimately found dead at the end of February, after maintenance workers called in to authorities.
Arakawa was 65 years old at the time of her death, while Hackman was approaching his 100s.