Gene Hackman's autopsy reveals heartbreaking detail about actor's final days
Gene Hackman's
cause of death has been has been revealed
in a new autopsy report, which has also uncovered details about his final days.
The legendary actor
was found dead aged 95 alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on February 26, with the couple's bodies
located in separate areas of their home
. Betsy's cause of death had earlier been revealed to be Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, an illness transmitted by rodents.
It's believed
she died approximately a week before her husband
. Gene, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, is presumed to have died on February 18, which aligns with the last recorded activity of his pacemaker.
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The final autopsy report for Gene confirmed his cause of death, citing a "history of congestive heart failure" and noting he endured "severe chronic hypertensive changes, kidneys."
Gene Hackman was found dead alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa
A further distressing finding was the presence of acetone in his stomach, suggesting he hadn't eaten at all in the time between Betsy's death and his own. This indicates that the actor was unable to fend for himself or care for their three dogs and it's possible he wasn't even aware of Betsy's death.
One of their pets was found dead as a result of starvation and dehydration, another dog was seen "guarding" Betsy's remains. A third was roaming freely around the estate.
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Gene and Betsy's home was a "complete mess," with droppings and clutter strewn across every room as shown in startling video footage, shedding light on how Betsy might have contracted the rare Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
Their home was in a state of disarray
(Image: AP)
The report detailed that the acetone present — a solvent widely used in chemicals — is "also a product of diabetic- and fasting-induced ketoacidosis as well as a metabolite following isopropanol ingestion."
Remarkably, Gene's acetone levels were at 5.3 mg/dl, contrasted with the normal levels in blood which peak at 0.3 mg/dL. This gap indicates an extended period of fasting.
Reacting to high levels of acetone, the body can exhibit various symptoms including stomach pain, drowsiness, confusion, feelings of sickness or nausea, along with blurred vision.
Furthermore, the autopsy found Gene to have had "coronary artery stents and a bypass graft, as well as a previous aortic valve replacement."
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