Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsAuthorities determined that Betsy Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome around February 11, 2025, while Gene Hackman died about a week later, around February 18, from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Hackman’s death certificate also listed Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor. Both deaths were classified as natural.
The couple were found at their Santa Fe-area home on February 26. Carbon-monoxide testing was negative, and officials said minor stove leaks were not believed to have caused the deaths.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Moonwalk: A Memoir | $23.38 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir | $10.26 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic – A Modern-Day Memoir from the Trailer Parks of Vegas... | $15.23 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Intimate Audrey: An Authorized Biography | $15.96 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
The Book of Sheen: A Memoir | $16.60 | Buy on Amazon |
Authorities determined that Betsy Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome around February 11, 2025, while Gene Hackman died about a week later, around February 18, from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Hackman’s death certificate also listed Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor. Both deaths were classified as natural.
The couple were found at their home in the Santa Fe, New Mexico, area on February 26. New Mexico Chief Medical Investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell announced the findings on March 7, 2025. Officials said carbon-monoxide testing was negative and that small stove leaks discovered during the investigation were not believed to have caused either death.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstall#1 Best Overall
The official causes of death
| Person | Estimated date of death | Official cause | Manner of death |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betsy Arakawa | On or around February 11, 2025 | Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome | Natural |
| Gene Hackman | Around February 18, 2025 | Hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; Alzheimer’s disease was a significant contributing factor | Natural |
The dates are estimates, not witnessed times of death. Investigators used available evidence, including surveillance, medical examinations and other investigative records, to establish the likely sequence.
What caused Betsy Arakawa’s death?
Arakawa’s official cause of death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, commonly abbreviated as HPS. It is a rare disease that can rapidly become life-threatening after affecting the lungs and cardiovascular system.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hantaviruses in the United States are primarily associated with infected rodents. People can be exposed through contact with rodent urine, droppings, saliva or nesting material. Breathing in contaminated particles is a principal route of exposure, particularly when contaminated material is disturbed.
Early HPS symptoms can look like influenza or another ordinary respiratory illness. They may include fever, fatigue and muscle aches, followed by worsening shortness of breath as fluid accumulates in the lungs. The illness can progress quickly from nonspecific symptoms to severe cardiopulmonary disease.
What is not known about the exposure
The medical examiner’s conclusion establishes the disease that caused Arakawa’s death, but the available reporting does not establish exactly where or when she encountered the virus. There is no supported finding identifying a particular rodent, room, cleaning event or confirmed infestation as the source.
The deer mouse is the principal U.S. reservoir for the hantavirus most commonly associated with HPS. That does not mean authorities identified a deer mouse or any other specific animal in this case.
Hantaviruses found in the United States are not generally known to spread from person to person. The CDC identifies Andes virus as the notable exception among hantaviruses, but that distinction does not establish person-to-person transmission in the Arakawa case.
What caused Gene Hackman’s death?
Hackman’s listed primary cause was hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. In practical terms, the wording refers to cardiovascular damage associated with high blood pressure and atherosclerosis, the buildup and hardening of plaque in the arteries.
It was not simply recorded as “heart failure,” and it should not be reduced to that phrase. Reporting on the death certificate said officials corrected or clarified the wording to identify the specific cardiovascular disease.
Hackman’s death certificate also identified Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor. That means Alzheimer’s was considered important to the circumstances surrounding his death, but it was not the principal listed cause. It would therefore be inaccurate to say that Hackman died solely from Alzheimer’s disease.
When explaining the likely sequence after Arakawa’s death, the medical investigator discussed advanced Alzheimer’s disease as a possible reason Hackman may not have recognized or responded appropriately to what had happened. That explanation should be attributed to the investigator. It is not independent proof of Hackman’s mental state during every day between the two estimated deaths.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The February 2025 timeline
- On or around February 11: Authorities estimated that Arakawa died. The date was based on investigative and medical evidence rather than a witnessed event.
- Around February 18: Authorities estimated that Hackman died, approximately one week after Arakawa.
- February 26: Maintenance personnel found the couple at their Santa Fe-area residence. One of the couple’s dogs was also found dead.
- March 7: Dr. Heather Jarrell publicly announced the medical findings and classified both human deaths as natural.
Because the bodies were not discovered until February 26, descriptions of the sequence should use terms such as “officials estimated,” “believed” and “likely.” The dates should not be presented as exact times.
Why did the case initially appear suspicious?
Early search-warrant language described circumstances that investigators considered unusual enough to justify a complete investigation. Reports referred to an unsecured door, the locations and condition of the bodies, a moved heater, scattered pills and the dead dog.
That initial investigative posture did not amount to a finding of homicide. A search warrant allows investigators to examine circumstances that require clarification; it is not a final determination about how someone died. Subsequent medical findings and official statements classified the deaths as natural.
Carbon monoxide was not identified as the cause
Carbon-monoxide testing was negative for the couple. That finding weakened early speculation that a household gas problem had killed them.
Rank #4
Investigators did find small leaks involving a stove burner. Officials said those leaks were not believed to have contributed to the deaths. There is no supported basis for saying that a gas leak or carbon monoxide caused either death.
What happened to the dog, Zinna?
A later veterinary-laboratory report obtained by the Associated Press indicated that the dog, Zinna, likely died from dehydration and starvation. The examination found no evidence of infectious disease, trauma or poisoning that would otherwise explain the death.
However, advanced decomposition limited the certainty of the veterinary examination. Zinna’s death should therefore be described as likely related to dehydration and starvation, not as a finding with the same level of certainty as the human medical determinations.
Officials also clarified that dogs are not known to contract hantavirus in the United States in the same way humans do. Zinna’s death should not be described as a confirmed hantavirus death or as proof that the dog transmitted the disease to Arakawa.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
What the findings do—and do not—show
- They show that Arakawa’s official cause of death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
- They show that Hackman’s principal listed cause was hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor.
- They show that officials classified both human deaths as natural.
- They show that carbon monoxide was not detected in the couple’s testing.
- They do not identify the precise location or moment of Arakawa’s hantavirus exposure.
- They do not establish a particular rodent, household infestation or cleaning incident as the source.
- They do not support describing the deaths as caused by influenza, COVID-19, poisoning or a gas leak.
- They do not support treating the early “suspicious” wording in a search warrant as proof of criminal conduct.
Records, photographs and privacy concerns
Some public records, photographs, videos and other investigative materials became the subject of litigation and restrictions on release. Sensitive images should not be reproduced merely because they are part of a public-records dispute.
Best Value
There is also an important distinction between documents that may be temporarily blocked, redacted or contested and the medical findings publicly reported by authorities. The reported causes of death and manner of death are the reliable foundation for this account; graphic or disputed materials do not change those determinations.
Remembering Gene Hackman’s film career
The medical findings are separate from Hackman’s work as an actor. Readers exploring that legacy can look for Gene Hackman films on DVD and Blu-ray, including recognized physical releases such as Criterion Collection editions of Downhill Racer, Night Moves and The Royal Tenenbaums. Availability varies by country, retailer and edition.
Bottom line
Authorities concluded that Betsy Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome around February 11, 2025, and that Gene Hackman died around February 18 from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease contributing. Both deaths were ruled natural. The couple’s negative carbon-monoxide testing and the officials’ assessment of the stove leaks do not support a shared gas-related explanation, while the precise source of Arakawa’s hantavirus exposure remains unknown.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman die?
Authorities estimated that Betsy Arakawa died on or around February 11, 2025, and Gene Hackman died around February 18, approximately one week later. The dates were estimates because neither death was witnessed.
Did carbon monoxide or a gas leak cause the deaths?
No. Authorities reported negative carbon-monoxide testing. They found small stove-burner leaks but said the leaks were not believed to have contributed to either death.
How did Betsy Arakawa contract hantavirus?
No. Arakawa’s cause of death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Hantavirus exposure in the United States is primarily associated with infected rodents and contaminated urine, droppings, saliva or nesting material. The precise source of her exposure was not established.
Did Gene Hackman’s dog die from hantavirus?
No. A veterinary-laboratory report indicated that Zinna likely died from dehydration and starvation, although advanced decomposition limited certainty. Officials did not identify the dog’s death as a confirmed hantavirus death.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Authorities ruled both deaths natural: Betsy Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, while Gene Hackman died from hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor. The dates remain estimates, carbon monoxide was negative, and no supported evidence establishes homicide or a shared toxic exposure.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
