Gene Hackman and Wife's Deaths Linked to Hantavirus and Heart Disease

Officials confirm Betsy Arakawa died of hantavirus while Gene Hackman succumbed to heart disease and advanced Alzheimer's days later.

Betsy Arakawa, wife of actor Gene Hackman, died on or around February 11, 2025, from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare and often fatal disease transmitted through rodent droppings or saliva.
Gene Hackman, 95, passed away about a week later on February 18, 2025, due to hypertensive cardiovascular disease, with advanced Alzheimer's disease as a contributing factor.
Authorities believe Hackman, debilitated by Alzheimer’s, may not have realized his wife had died and was unable to seek help before his own death.
Investigators confirmed no foul play or carbon monoxide exposure, but signs of rodent activity were found in structures on the couple's property in New Mexico.
Hantavirus, while rare, has a high mortality rate of 38-50% in the American Southwest and is preventable by avoiding exposure to rodent droppings and contaminated areas.