Gene Hackman was unable to seek help when his wife died because he did not have a mobile phone, a close friend of the actor revealed on Friday night. According to post-mortem results, the Oscar-winning actor's wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, died on February 11 at their home in New Mexico after contracting a flu-like infection linked to exposure to rat feces.
Hackman, 95, died at the same home a week later due to heart disease, with his advanced Alzheimer's playing a significant role. Their bodies were found on February 26. Tom Allin, a longtime friend of the couple, said Hackman didn't have a phone and had little interest in technology.
Tragic Series of Events
"This is so sad. Mrs Hackman died and Gene was so far advanced with his Alzheimer's that he was wandering around and didn't eat," a source said, according to the Daily Mail. The source added, "If he didn't have a phone he couldn't have called for help, even if he'd wanted to."
Hackman was found on the floor of one room, while his wife was found about 20 feet away in the bathroom. No food was present in his stomach.
Medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell stated, "It's quite possible that Mrs Hackman died and her husband was not aware that she was deceased."
Their dog, Zinna, was also found dead when the couple's bodies were discovered. The 12-year-old dog had been confined in a crate following a medical procedure, with no food in its stomach. However, two other dogs that were freely roaming the house survived.
The source said: "Hackman was so advanced with his Alzheimer's he didn't realise Zinna was locked in the crate."
New Mexico officials confirmed on Friday that Arakawa died from a virus transmitted by rats shortly after February 11, while Hackman is believed to have succumbed to severe heart disease on February 18.
However, Doug Lanham, a close friend and former business partner of Hackman, found it hard to believe that the 95-year-old was unable to contact emergency services in the week following his wife's collapse in their bathroom. "We all knew that he was in the late stages of Alzheimer's. But he was still doing his writing and painting," Lanham told the Daily Mail in an interview.
"That makes no sense. It's very strange,' he said, his voice shaking with emotion at the shocking news. For me personally, it's even more bizarre. I just can't comprehend it."
Most Shocking End
Lanham first met Hackman around 2004, and the two developed a close friendship, with Gene investing in his Santa Fe restaurant, Jinja, for more than a decade. In a tragic turn of events, autopsy reports confirmed that Arakawa died from Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome on February 11.
Hackman is believed to have died about a week later, around February 18. Their mummified remains were found in different rooms of their $3.8 million Santa Fe residence on February 26.
Dr. Heather Jarrell, New Mexico's Chief Medical Investigator, ruled both deaths as natural, noting that no internal or external injuries were found.
Their dog, Zinna, was found dead near Arakawa. Authorities said that the 12-year-old pet had been picked up from a veterinary hospital on February 9 after a medical procedure, which likely explains why it was discovered inside a kennel.
When asked by reporters, Jarrell suggested that due to Hackman's advanced Alzheimer's, he may not have realized his wife had passed away.
Arakawa's illness, which initially showed flu symptoms, led to her death on February 11. A CDC source told the Daily Mail that while no rodent activity was detected in the couple's main residence, evidence of rodent presence—such as droppings—was found in outbuildings on the property, including a garage and two casitas.
Hantavirus is most commonly reported in the spring and summer, often contracted when people come into contact with mouse droppings in homes, sheds, or poorly ventilated spaces.
Though hantavirus exists worldwide, the majority of U.S. cases have been recorded in western states. The virus can lead to a severe and potentially fatal lung infection, with symptoms such as coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
Dr. Jarrell noted that the hantavirus strain found in the southwestern United States has a mortality rate ranging from around 38% to 50% and is not spread from person to person.
