‘There Was No Food in His Stomach’: Inside Gene Hackman’s Tragic Final Week After His Wife Died from Rare Virus

Loved ones close to the late actor have offered insight into his final months, sharing details about his health and the meaningful activities he engaged in with the unwavering support of his devoted wife.

Gene Hackman’s final week came shortly after the loss of his spouse, Betsy Arakawa, to a rare virus. Reports provide details about his condition during that time.

Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman photographed at the Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Donny LaLonde match on November 7, 1988, in Las Vegas. | Source: Getty Images

Heather Jarrell, chief medical examiner for the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, revealed that the actor likely died approximately a week after the classical pianist. The cause was attributed to cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease playing a significant role.

Authorities determined that Arakawa likely passed on February 11, 2025 from hantavirus, a virus transmitted by mice that can be fatal. Both deaths were classified as natural causes, a category that includes conditions such as heart disease, infections, and age-related complications.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa at the DW Griffith Awards on February 24, 1992 | Source: Getty Images

Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were discovered in their home on February 26, with no indications of foul play. Alongside them, Hackman’s dog, Zinna, was found deceased in a crate, while two other dogs remained unharmed on the property.

Officials stated that dehydration or starvation may have been factors in the dog’s death. They also confirmed that Zinna had undergone an undisclosed medical procedure before Hackman and Arakawa’s passing.

Arakawa was last seen on surveillance footage running errands on February 11 before returning home at 5:15 p.m., with no recorded activity afterward. Hackman, who battled advanced Alzheimer’s and severe heart disease, tested negative for hantavirus.

Dr. Erin Phipps, the state’s public health veterinarian, noted that hantavirus infections are uncommon, with 136 cases reported in New Mexico over 50 years and a 42 percent fatality rate. Although rodents were present on the property, the risk inside the main house was deemed minimal.

Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman attend the Thalians Ball honoring Liza Minnelli at the Century Plaza Hotel in California on October 8, 1994 | Source: Getty Images

Hackman’s pacemaker recorded cardiac activity on February 17, with an abnormal rhythm the next day, suggesting he passed on February 18. Authorities ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning, and gas inspections found no significant leaks.

Arakawa was found on the bathroom floor with prescribed thyroid medication nearby, while Hackman was in a mudroom off the kitchen.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa pictured on November 16, 2001, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images

A maintenance worker alerted deputies after finding a door ajar, leading to their discovery. The case remains under investigation, with detectives recovering cell phones, a planner, and medications from the home.

With no signs of outside assistance, authorities concluded that Arakawa had been Hackman’s sole caregiver. Jarrell stated, “There was no food in his stomach, which means he had not eaten recently.”

The timeline shared by authorities suggests a grim reality — Hackman may have spent days alongside Arakawa, too weak or disoriented to seek help. Isolated in the private home that symbolized his decades in the spotlight, he appeared to have been trapped in a situation beyond his control.

Arakawa cared for Hackman as he faced the challenges of Alzheimer’s. Being significantly younger, she reportedly may have expected to care for him until the end in their home. The Hawaii native not only looked after her husband but also managed much of his interactions with others.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa attend a premiere of “The Chamber” at the Academy Theater, Beverly Hills, California, on October 2, 1996 | Source: Getty Images

Longtime friend Tom Allin recalled in an interview that in their 20 years of friendship, he never communicated with Hackman directly by phone or email, instead coordinating visits and golf outings through Arakawa. Hackman, uninterested in technology, did not appear to own a cellphone.

“She was very protective of him,” Allin said, adding that Hackman seemed comfortable with her managing things. The actor once acknowledged that without her care — particularly her efforts to maintain his diet — he would have been dead “long ago.”

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa attend a Hollywood Foreign Press conference in California on November 11, 1992 | Source: Getty Images

In January 2020, just before the pandemic, Allin joined Hackman in Islamorada, Florida, for his 90th birthday. He recalled Arakawa mixing soda water into Hackman’s wine, a sign of her attentiveness to his well-being.

By 2023, the effects of the Hollywood star’s decline were more noticeable. Each year, he prepared a special birthday dinner for Arakawa, but that time, he forgot, and she returned home to an empty kitchen.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa attend the Toyota Pro-Celebrity Race in Long Beach, California, on April 4, 1987 | Source: Getty Images

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hackman largely stayed indoors. In recent years, neighbors in Santa Fe Summit, the gated community where the couple lived, said they had not seen them, aside from their trash cans left by the roadside for collection.

As Hackman and Arakawa became increasingly private, those closest to them noticed changes in his health. On February 28, 2025, longtime family friends Daniel and Barbara Lenihan, along with their son Aaron, spoke about their decades-long friendship with the couple and Hackman’s decline in recent months.

Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman during The 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, on January 19, 2003 | Source: Getty Images

Daniel described the movie star “essentially kind of home-bound” in recent times, while Barbara recalled that he had stopped riding his bike through the neighborhood about a year ago.

Aaron shared that Arakawa made efforts to keep him involved, incorporating daily puzzles and Zoom yoga into his routine. “She was still trying to keep him as active and engaged and healthy as possible,” he said.

Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman during PCC Celebrity Art Show on September 11, 1991, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images

Daniel and Barbara noted that in the “last couple of months,” Hackman’s condition had worsened significantly. Meanwhile, Barbara described Arakawa as “in perfect health” and “so fit.”

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa attend the Mission Hills Celebrity Sports Invitational in Rancho Mirage, California, on November 30, 1991 | Source: Getty Images

Describing their relationship, Aaron said, “They were one of the tightest couples I’ve seen,” calling them “real life partners” who were deeply connected, kind, and reserved but also fun.

Barbara agreed, noting that Hackman was as proud of Arakawa as she was of him. As a concert pianist, she had a dedicated studio at their home, with one side filled with her grand pianos and the other serving as Hackman’s art space.

Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman during Celebrity Sports Invitational on November 29, 1991, in Rancho Mirage, California. | Source: Getty Images

Hackman’s later years contrasted sharply with the life he had built. After his first marriage to Faye Maltese ended, he moved to Santa Fe in the late 1980s, drawn to its landscapes and artistic scene.

Photographer Mark Kreusch reflected on the two-time Oscar winner’s bond with the city in an interview, “I think you can escape anywhere, but I think the beauty of the city – they just loved the area. Even though he was a bit reclusive, he really loved Santa Fe. It resonated with him.”

Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman attend the 65th annual Academy Awards at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, on March 29, 1993 | Source: Getty Images

Hackman and Arakawa frequently took drives to remote areas beyond Santa Fe, seeking quiet, scenic spots. Kreusch recalled seeing them on multiple occasions, sometimes near a river or along a mountainside.

While traveling between Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos, he recognized their cars and gave them space, noting that they often ventured to isolated, picturesque locations.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa at Spago on September 5, 1988, in West Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images

Notably, Kreusch once spotted Hackman pulling over during one of his solo drives. Hours later, on his way back from skiing, he noticed that Arakawa had joined him, and they were still there together. She was never without her dogs, which she deeply loved.

Hackman rarely left his car during these outings, instead sitting with Arakawa for long periods, taking in the scenery. Kreusch speculated that these moments may have even inspired Hackman’s paintings.

Gene Hackman with Betsy Arakawa at the United Celebral Palsy of New York City’s 15th annual Champagne Stakes at Etoile restaurant in 2000 | Source: Getty Images

Their connection was undeniable, with Kreusch describing them as “really, really tight.” Even in his later years, Hackman remained active and engaged during their drives. However, as time passed, signs of decline became more apparent, according to longtime friend Stuart Ashman.

Having met him in the late 1990s while serving on a Georgia O’Keeffe Museum committee, Ashman noted that at 95, the decline was natural. After COVID, Hackman became even more reclusive, focusing on protecting his health.

Hackman’s retreat from public life was a deliberate choice, with those who knew him recognizing his commitment to a quieter existence. Gary Sinise, who worked with Hackman on “The Quick and the Dead” (1995), reflected on his decision to step away from Hollywood.

“I know once he retired to New Mexico, he was retired,” he said, emphasizing that Hackman had no interest in returning for awards or industry events.

Latest developments regarding the late couple’s death comes after several days of updates.

Update: 9 March, 2025

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa | Source: Getty Images

Police disclosed that “loopholes” remain in the ongoing investigation into Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s deaths. Officials reportedly gathered key evidence from the couple’s home. According to a search warrant inventory, detectives seized two cellphones among other items.

Update: 8 March, 2025

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa | Source: Getty Images

Dr. Heather Gerald, Chief Medical Examiner for New Mexico, shared the official autopsy results in a press conference on March 8, 2025. Both deaths were classified as natural causes.

Update: 27 February, 2025

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa at the Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks fight, Trump Plaza, Atlantic City, June 27, 1988 | Source: Getty Images

The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office announced on their official Facebook page that after conducting examinations on February 27, 2025, investigators found no signs of foul play in the sudden deaths of actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 63.

Update: 27 February, 2025

Gene Hackman in 1970 | Source: Getty Images

Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their Santa Fe Summit home on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 26. Authorities have not suspected foul play, but an investigation is ongoing.