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Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa Hackman Causes of death were revealed By Sante Fe, New Mexico officials on Friday, but Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed that the investigation into the case is still ongoing.
In a press conference held more than a week after the couple’s bodies were discovered at home on February 26, the chief medical researcher, Dr. Heather Jarrell Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributor. He confirmed that Betsy died of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease transmitted from animals to humans that is commonly found in rodents.
Jarrell said it was “reasonable to conclude” that Betsy, 65, died around February 11, while Gene, 95, was probably alone at home for about a week, until he died around February 18, which was the last time the activity was recorded in his pacemaker.
While Mendoza said he thought that “many of the questions have been answered,” he said that the authorities will continue their investigation since they expected the Hackman cell phone records, as well as the results of a necropsy that is being carried out in the Zinna couple’s dog, which was also found dead in the house.
“We believe that this is an open investigation until we close the lagoons of cell phones, until we finish the results of the canine necropsy and the other loose ends that we need to tie,” he said during the press conference.
The causes of the death of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa Hackman were revealed, but Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed that the investigation is ongoing. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella collection through Getty Images)
“But, you know, I think we are quite close to the timeline and with the information provided by Dr. Jarrell,” Mendoza added.
The detectives listed two cell phones among the elements that took the house, according to the inventory of the search warrant obtained by Fox News Digital.
During the press conference, Mendoza said he thought it was “very unlikely” that cell phone records reveal more than what the authorities had already established with respect to the timeline of the deaths.
Mendoza also confirmed that there was still no evidence that Gene had communicated with someone while he was lively In the house after Betsy’s death.
“I don’t know if he used cell phones or technology or emails, there are no indications of that,” he told reporters. “So at this time there is no activity by Mr. Hackman.”
Mendoza said the researchers were waiting for cell phone records and the results of a necropsy carried out in the couple’s dog, which was also found dead. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
Mendoza also provided a timeline of Betsy’s activities and communications that led until February 11, the last day he was known for being alive.
During the investigation, the officers discovered that Betsy had collected Zinna from the Group Veterinary Hospital in Santa Fe on February 9. The authorities previously revealed that Zinna was found deceased In a box that was in a closet at about “10 to 15” feet from where Betsy’s body was found on the bathroom.
“There was a procedure that was performed with the dog that can explain why the dog was in a box,” Mendoza explained.
The other surviving dogs of the couple, Bear and Nikita, were found in the property. According to the affidavit, “one of the healthy dogs was initially observed near the deceased woman (inside the bathroom) and the other healthy dog was observed outside the residence.”
The authorities believe that Betsy died a week before Gene died. (Getty images)
While detailed the Betsy movements timeline, Mendoza said the detectives discovered communications by email between the concert pianist and his massage therapist from 11:21 am on February 11.
Gene Hackman Death: Complete coverage
“Passing in the afternoon, Mrs. Arakawa was in the Sprouts farmers market between 3:30 and 4:15 pm,” Mendoza said. From there, the surveillance video captured Betsy at the local CVS pharmacy around 4:20 pm
Numerous emails received on February 11 remained unopened on their computer.
“There was no additional outgoing communication of it, or known activity, after February 11, 2025,” said Mendoza, adding that “cell phone information and cell phone data are pending.”
During the press conference, Jarrell explained that Hantavirus is characterized For “symptoms similar to flu that consist of fever, muscle aches, cough, sometimes vomiting and diarrhea that can progress to the lack of breathing and heart failure and cardiac and pulmonary insufficiency.”
“I don’t know when he began to feel ill,” Jarrell said about Betsy. “And those are just things that I do not know to what I will ever have the answers. But I think that returning to that initial period of time, approximately 3 to 6 days of feeling sick and then succumbing quite fast after the fluid begins to accumulate in the lungs.”
He asked Mendoza if he knew if Betsy had communicated with family or friends who felt bad before his death.
“Once again, we are going through some of the communications, and I think that cell phones can have some indications of that before 11,” he said. “But from this moment, I have no information that she indicates that she felt sick during any communication.”
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The Hackman owned three dogs, two of which they survived. (Animal Rescue, Inc.)
At the beginning of the press conference, Mendoza said that Zinna had been taken to veterinary diagnostic services of the New Mexico Department of Agriculture for a necropsy.
When asked if it was likely that Zinna was dying due to hunger or dehydration since it was full, Dr. Erin PHIPPS, veterinarian of the State of New Mexico, with the New Mexico Department of Health, said: “I don’t think we know the answer to that.”
“However, given the deadlines, there is a possibility,” he added.
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PHIPPS also clarified that Zinna had not died of Hantavirus, since he said that dogs do not get sick from the disease.
Detectives initially described the death of the couple as “suspicious enough in nature to require an exhaustive search and research.” (Getty images)
He explained that the State has confirmed between one and seven cases of rare infection in humans every year, ending in 2024.
“We have identified 136 infections in the last 50 years in New Mexico’s residents, five of them in Santa Fe County,” said PHIPPS. “This is a serious illness. Forty -two percent of these infections here in New Mexico were fatal.”
Detectives initially described the couple’s deaths As “the nature suspicious enough to require an exhaustive search and investigation,” according to an affidavit of the search warrant obtained by Fox News Digital.
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Tracy Wright and Lauryn Overhultz of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
