How Gene Hackman’s Wife Caught Rare Disease That Led To Her Death Revealed

Legendary actor Gene Hackman‘s wife, Betsy Arakawa, is suspected to have potentially caught the rare hantavirus pulmonary syndrome that ultimately caused her death from rodent droppings in the couple’s garage and outhouses, the Daily Mail reports.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is defined by the Mayo Clinic as “a rare infectious disease that begins with flu-like symptoms and progresses rapidly to more severe disease,” which is “carried by different types of rodents.” Experts told the Daily Mail that Arakawa, 65, could’ve caught the disease by cleaning areas where rodent droppings were present at the couple’s Santa Fe home.

Last week, New Mexico State Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell confirmed that Arakawa was suspected to have died first as all outgoing communication from her cellphone and email ceased on February 11, the last day she was spotted publicly, from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, while Hackman, 95, is suspected to have died on February 18, the last day his pacemaker registered data, of hypertensive cardiovascular disease with Alzheimer’s as a factor. Officials reiterated that foul play was not suspected in the Hackmans’ deaths and the scene was tested for carbon monoxide, with only a minute leak found that was deemed to be insignificant.

Hackman, a two-time Academy Award winner, and his wife were married for 34 years. Police reportedly found the couple at around 1:45 p.m. local time on February 26.

Hackman’s legendary acting career spanned more than 60 years, providing an everyman believability to numerous iconic roles, including playing Jimmy Doyle in The French Connection (1971) and Little Bill Daggett in Unforgiven (1992), which won him the Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively. The California native was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor for roles in Bonnie & Clyde (1968) and I Never Sang for My Father (1971), as well as Best Actor for Mississippi Burning (1989).

Hackman is also remembered for playing arch villain Lex Luthor in Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980), as well as Coach Norman Dale in Hoosiers (1986) and Royal Tenenbaum in The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) among numerous other iconic roles.