Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa’s causes of death revealed following shocking autopsy results

New Mexico officials held a press conference Friday to provide updates on the tragic deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.

Results from an autopsy performed on Feb. 27 revealed that Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rare rodent-transmitted virus. The manner of death was natural.

Meanwhile, Hackman’s cause of death was hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and “evidence of advanced Alzheimer’s disease” as a significant contributory factor.

New Mexico Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell did not confirm that the late movie star had a heart attack, but noted that he could have had “an abnormal heart rhythm.”

“He had very extensive heart disease, so he would have been predisposed to abnormal heart rhythms and hence [why] he had a pacemaker as well,” she said.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza believes Hackman was alone with his dead wife for seven days before he died.

Dr. Jarrell said it’s “quite possible” Hackman did not know Arakawa was dead given his mental state.

The autopsy found that there was no food in Hackman’s stomach, meaning he had not recently eaten prior to his death.

Mendoza added that there is “no indication” that a couple had a caretaker in the home and “there was no outside surveillance or inside surveillance” on the property that police is “aware of.”

During the presser, officials confirmed they identified signs of rodent entry in the property, which could have led to the hantavirus spreading to Arakawa. Testing for hantavirus was negative for Hackman.

Dr. Erin Phipps of the New Mexico Health Department said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is aware of this case, but said it is not “unusual” and should not cause public concern.

Mendoza also recounted Arakawa’s final whereabouts before she died, noting that on Feb. 9, she picked up her dog, Zinna, from the vet. This is the same canine that was later found dead in a crate.

Two days later, on Feb. 11, Arakawa ran errands at a farmer’s market, was seen on surveillance video at a local CVS pharmacy and also went to a pet food store. She used her clicker later that afternoon to gain access into her property. Police said her last known email activity was on that day.

Mendoza concluded that law enforcement considers this case “an open investigation.” He said they have “loose ends” to tie up regarding the phone data and are unable to pinpoint exact dates of death for each.

This is the first update in this case in a week. Last Friday, Mendoza shared in a press conference that Hackman’s pacemaker tracked his “last event” nine days before he and Arakawa were found, providing a clue as to the late actor’s time of death.

The details surrounding Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths have been a mystery since the couple were found dead inside their New Mexico home on Feb. 26 within close proximity of each other. One of their three dogs, an Australian Kelpie mix, was also found deceased inside of a crate.

“An individual arrived to perform maintenance on the residence, became concerned after receiving no answer and contacted neighborhood security to conduct a welfare check,” a Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office press release previously obtained by Page Six read.

“Security then checked on the residence and observed Hackman and Arakawa on the ground unresponsive through a window and called 911.”

Police found Hackman, 95, on the floor of a room near a kitchen. He appeared to have fallen, as his sunglasses were next to him. Friends told People recently that the Hollywood star’s health appeared to have been “slipping” in recent months, and he had stopped bike riding through the neighborhood.

Arakawa, 65, was also found on the ground but in a bathroom near a heater. She appeared to have fallen as well, but pills were scattered on the countertop of the restroom she was in, per a search warrant.

Mendoza declined to publicly identify the medications on the counter, citing HIPAA laws, which protect a patients’ rights to confidentiality. However, CNN reported that police confiscated multiple medicines, including Tylenol, a thyroid medication and Diltiazem, which treats high blood pressure or chest pain.

Arakawa’s body was already in a state of decomposition when she was found, with “mummification” on her hands and feet and “bloating in her face.”

Police suspected she and Hackman had been dead for “several days” or even “a couple of weeks” given the state in which their bodies were found, but a forensic pathologist exclusively told Page Six that the temperature of the house could have been a significant factor in how quickly the bodies decomposed.

Hackman’s family previously speculated that perhaps carbon monoxide poisoning was to blame, but Mendoza said at the Feb. 28 press conference that both “tested negative for carbon monoxide.”

The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office also confirmed in a press release obtained by Page Six that the New Mexico Gas Company conducted an extensive investigation for gas leaks and carbon monoxide and found “no significant findings.” The fire department also found no evidence of a leak.

Two others dogs were found alive in another part of the large compound, and it is unclear how they were able to survive. The pathologist we spoke to, though, said the canine that died was likely dehydrated since it was confined.

Police have said from the onset of the investigation that they do not suspect foul play was a factor. Preliminary autopsies also showed no signs of “external trauma.”

A sheriff’s office spokesperson told Page Six last week that there did not appear to have been any “criminal” activity, but nothing was “ruled out.”