Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead at their Santa Fe home on February 26, 2025. Authorities initially said the causes were undetermined, but on March 7 they announced separate causes: Arakawa died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, while Hackman died of cardiovascular disease, with advanced Alzheimer’s disease a significant contributing factor. The timeline investigators reconstructed from records is not an exact, witnessed account of when either person died.
What were the causes of death?
New Mexico’s chief medical investigator identified hantavirus pulmonary syndrome as Arakawa’s cause of death. Hackman’s cause was cardiovascular disease; advanced Alzheimer’s disease was listed as a significant contributing factor. Authorities announced these findings on March 7, 2025. Source
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The findings clarified the early uncertainty. Initial public updates said the causes were undetermined, and autopsies found no external trauma. Carbon monoxide poisoning was ruled out in early testing. Source Source
When and how were they found?
The couple were found at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on February 26, 2025, after a maintenance visit led to a call to authorities. The first reports described an active investigation because the cause of death had not yet been established; that early uncertainty was not itself evidence of criminal involvement. Later medical findings attributed the deaths to separate natural causes. Source Source
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What does the reconstructed timeline show?
Investigators used Arakawa’s last known activities and records from Hackman’s pacemaker to estimate the timeline. These records help place events but do not establish exact, directly observed times of death.
- February 11: Arakawa’s last known activities included communications and errands in Santa Fe. Authorities said they found no later known activity. Source
- February 17–18: Reports based on pacemaker records placed Hackman’s last cardiac activity around this period. Later Associated Press timeline coverage said an abnormal rhythm was recorded on February 18. The device data informed estimates; it was not an exact time-of-death determination. Source
- February 26: A maintenance visit led to the discovery of the couple and a call to authorities. Source Source
- February 28–March 1: Early reports said the causes were undetermined, noted no external trauma, and reported negative carbon monoxide testing. Source Source
- March 7: Authorities announced the medical causes of death. Source
What the early investigation did—and did not—establish
The first phase sought to determine what had happened while the causes remained unknown. The absence of external trauma and negative carbon monoxide testing were early findings, not the final explanation. The later medical determinations identified distinct causes for Arakawa and Hackman. The reported findings do not establish criminal involvement.
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