Why Couldn't Gene Hackman Call for Help After Wife's Death? Close Friend Shares Possibilities in Betsy Arakawa's Passing Away One Week Before Actor

Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died weeks apart at their New Mexico home, Arakawa from hantavirus and Hackman from heart disease. Here’s why Hackman couldn’t call for help after her death.

Written by Sakina Kaukawala , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 09, 2025 | 09:26 AM GMT | 23.6K

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa (via Getty Images)

Trigger Warning: This article contains references to death.

Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, passed away on February 11 at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, due to a hantavirus infection. The 65-year-old reportedly contracted the virus from rodent droppings, which led to severe flu-like symptoms.

A medical examiner confirmed that Betsy Arakawa’s cause of death was natural and noted that the virus is not transmissible from person to person. Surveillance footage showed her returning home on February 11, but she had no further communication after that day.

Gene Hackman passed away about a week later, on February 18, from severe heart disease. According to medical reports, his advanced Alzheimer's disease was a significant factor.

He was found in a separate room from his wife, and an autopsy confirmed that no food was in his stomach. Chief Medical Investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell said, "It’s quite possible that Mrs. Hackman died and her husband was not aware that she was deceased."

A close friend of the couple, Tom Allin, revealed that Hackman did not own a mobile phone and had no interest in technology.

A source told the Daily Mail that Hackman’s advanced Alzheimer’s left him wandering and not eating after his wife's death, and without a phone, he would have been unable to call for help.

Another friend, Doug Lanham, expressed disbelief over the situation, saying it did not make sense and seemed strange to him. He added that he found it personally bizarre and difficult to comprehend.

When authorities discovered the couple’s bodies on February 26, they also found their dog, Zinna, dead inside a crate. Zinna had been locked up after a medical procedure.

The dog had no food in its stomach. Two other dogs in the home survived as they were roaming free. "Hackman was so advanced with his Alzheimer’s he didn’t realize Zinna was locked in the crate," a source said.

Officials noted that rodent activity was found in some outbuildings on the property, but not in the main house. Investigators are still reviewing additional records related to the couple’s final days.