Gene Hackman, the iconic Hollywood actor famous for his roles in classics like The French Connection and Unforgiven, was discovered dead at his Santa Fe, New Mexico home on February 26, 2025, alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and one of their three dogs.
At 95, Hackman had been living a reclusive life in recent years, his health deteriorating from advanced Alzheimer’s disease.
The couple’s bodies were found in different rooms—Hackman in the foyer and Arakawa in a bathroom. Autopsy reports revealed that Hackman passed away from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a contributing factor. Arakawa, 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare and severe respiratory illness transmitted by rodents.
Signs of a rodent infestation were found in their home, indicating that Arakawa likely contracted the virus there.
Sadly, it is believed that Arakawa passed away on February 11, and due to Hackman’s advanced Alzheimer’s, he likely remained unaware of her death, continuing to live in the house for another week before his own passing. Investigators found no evidence of forced entry or external trauma, and both deaths were determined to be natural.
Friends and family observed that Hackman had become more reclusive, stopping his regular bicycle rides a year earlier and appearing largely homebound. The couple’s isolated lifestyle, coupled with Hackman’s cognitive decline, likely led to the delayed discovery of their deaths.
The tragic end of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa underscores the profound challenges posed by aging, illness, and isolation, even for those who once stood in the limelight.
