Gene Hackman, the esteemed actor, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found deceased in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home on February 26, 2025. Betsy, 65, a classical pianist of Japanese descent, had reportedly passed away approximately a week earlier from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease transmitted through exposure to contaminated rodent excretions.
Gene, 95, who had been battling advanced Alzheimer’s disease, likely died around February 17 from heart disease, with no signs of dehydration suggesting he died the following day.
The couple’s two surviving dogs, Bear and Nikita, played a crucial role in alerting first responders to Gene’s location. After an initial search, the dogs led rescuers to a mudroom where Gene’s body was discovered near his cane and sunglasses. Their third dog, Zinna, was found deceased in a crate, likely due to complications from a previous surgery.
Autopsies revealed no external trauma, and authorities found no evidence of foul play. The deaths were attributed to natural causes, with Gene’s pacemaker data indicating his heart stopped on February 17.