Name: Gene Hackman and Wife's Causes of Death Revealed
Uploaded: 2025-03-07T23:48:29.000Z
Description: Authorities said Friday that actor Gene Hackman died of Alzheimer’s and heart failure a week after his wife died of hantavirus, a rare viral infection.

Jack Bradley is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Jack previously anchored "NTD Newsroom" and worked as an assistant producer for the show. 

Jack Bradley

NTD Plus

News

News with integrity, from the United States and around the world. Focused reports and analyses that shed light on major issues the world deserves to know. NTD Evening News airs daily at 6 p.m. ET.

NTD Evening News

Lawmakers Probe CCP Threat Inside America

Arian Pasdar is an international correspondent for NTD News based in South America. His reporting focuses on immigration and key events in Latin America.

Arian Pasdar

Hezbollah Terrorist Group Rejects US-Brokered Israel-Lebanon Ceasefire

David Lam is a national correspondent based in California and a part-time anchor for "NTD Tonight." Before joining NTD he was a financial analyst.

David Lam

Photojournalist Recounts 1989 Tiananmen Massacre Experience

Sam Wang is a Washington correspondent for NTD News based in Washington, D.C. Sam covers politics on Capitol Hill, and U.S.-China relations. 

Sam Wang

Lawmakers Remember Tiananmen Square Massacre

Jason Perry is an Army veteran and NTD's national security correspondent. Jason primarily covers border security, national defense, foreign wars, and veterans' issues.

Jason Perry

New York Officials on World Cup 2026: 'We've Got This'

Cary Dunst is the news anchor for NTD Evening News. He is also the co-host of NTD Good Morning.


Cary Dunst

Tankman ‘Stands for Freedom’ 37 Years After Tiananmen Massacre, Explains Victims of Communism Memorial Chairman

Christina Corona is a California-based reporter for NTD News. She primarily covers California news, politics, and entertainment.  

Christina Corona

Hilton Holds Strong Lead in California’s Governor Race

Dave Martin is NTD's Senior Sports Reporter and sports analyst. He also hosts "Data Hub" segments during NTD's special election coverage, "The Nation Decides."

Dave Martin

2 Fans Get Permanent NBA Ban After Game 1 Selfie

What the People Say: Does Government Weaponize Agencies Against Political Opponents?

Jason Blair is a national correspondent for NTD News based in California. 

Jason Blair

ICE Protests and Doxing Discussed at House DHS Hearing

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 4)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 3)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 2)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (June 1)

Chris Beers is an NTD News anchor and political correspondent based at the network's global headquarters in New York City. Chris co-anchors "NTD News Today" weekdays at 10:00 am ET.

Chris Beers

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 31)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 29)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 28)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 27)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 26)

NTD Evening News Full Broadcast (May 25)

The Associated Press is an American not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. 

The Associated Press

US News

State News

California

More Than 17,000 Under Evacuation Orders as Southern California Wildfire Threatens Homes

Rudy Blalock is a Southern California-based daily news reporter for NTD. Originally from Michigan, he moved to California in 2017 and the sunshine and ocean have kept him here since. In his free time, he may be found underwater scuba diving, on top of a mountain hiking or snowboarding, or at home meditating—which helps fuel his active lifestyle.

Rudy Blalock

40,000 Ordered to Evacuate as Chemical Tank Leaks, Threatens Explosion in California

Video of US Fighter Jet Shooting Down UFO Over Lake Huron Emerges in New Pentagon Files

Ryan Morgan is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on military and foreign affairs. He was previously a news writer for NTD. 


Ryan Morgan

Mari Otsu is NTD's White House correspondent based in Washington. 

Mari Otsu

World News

Middle East

Iran

3 US Warships Fend Off Iranian Attacks, Trump Says Ceasefire Still Holds

NTD Newsroom comprises teams of reporters, editors, and producers assigned to cover breaking news and other stories.


NTD Newsroom

News you can trust from the U.S. and around the world. Critical information and insight. We cover the stories that others don’t. NTD News Today airs Monday–Friday at 11 a.m. ET.

NTD News Today

US Government Sues Chick-fil-A Over Religious Rights

Sports News

Kyle Busch, Two-Time NASCAR Champion, Dies at 41

Haika Mrema

Medical Plane Crash in New Mexico Mountains Kills 4, Sparks Wildfire

Mary Man is a writer for NTD. She has traveled around the world covering China, international news, and arts and culture.

Mary Man

Daniel Monaghan is a reporter for NTD News covering culture, social issues, and education. He holds a BA in Political Science and Government.

Daniel Monaghan

China News

Epoch Times Obtains Over 2,000 Unseen Tiananmen Square Photos on 37th Anniversary of the June 4th Massacre

California Mayor Resigns, Will Plead Guilty to Acting as Chinese Agent

Reuters is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages.

Reuters

Trump Calls Iran's Response to Latest US Ceasefire Proposal 'Totally Unacceptable'

Authorities said Friday that actor Gene Hackman died of Alzheimer’s and heart failure a week after his wife died of hantavirus, a rare viral infection.

Authorities initially ruled out foul play after the bodies were discovered Feb 26, while a bottle of pills was discovered next to the body of his wife, Betsy Arakawa. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning also tested negative.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza and other officials <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPQYSzPcBOg">announced</a> the development in a news conference in New Mexico, where the couple lived and were found dead last month.

Hackman was in “very poor” health in the days after his wife’s death, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said in the press conference.

Arakawa died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said in the news conference.

“Based on the circumstances, it is reasonable to conclude that Ms. Hackman passed away first,” Jarrell said at the press event, noting that Arakawa was last seen alive on Feb. 11 when she was seen visiting a CVS pharmacy nearby.

Feb. 11 was also the last day she sent an email, Mendoza said.

“She was walking around, she was shopping, she was visiting stores,” Mendoza said of Arakawa, referring to security footage on Feb. 11. “My detectives didn’t indicate that there was any problem with her or struggle of her getting around.”

The manners for both Hackman’s and Arakawa’s death were considered natural, said Jarrell. There were no signs of trauma in either.

“There were no other significant natural disease findings,” she said.

Pills that were found at the scene were prescribed thyroid medications that were being taken as prescribed, the examiner added.

Aside from Hackman and Arakawa, one of their dogs was found dead nearby, according to a search warrant affidavit. A maintenance worker called 911 after spotting the bodies at the couple’s Santa Fe home. He reported the home’s front door was open when he arrived to do routine work, a detective wrote.

Before Friday’s announcement, officials had said that their deaths were deemed “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation because the reporting party found the front door of the residence unsecured and opened.”

Officials with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/about/index.html">say</a> that hantavirus is spread mainly through rodents—namely their droppings, urine, or saliva—and isn’t transmitted from person to person.

Symptoms of the virus tend to show one to eight weeks after contact with an infected rodent, and early symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, chills, dizziness, headaches, and abdominal issues, the CDC says.

Although rare, the virus is highly fatal. According to the CDC, 38 percent of people who contract hantavirus “may die from the disease.”

Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner, was 95, and Arakawa, a classical pianist, was 65.

The actor won his first Academy Award for 1972’s “The French Connection” and decades later, won his second for his role in “Unforgiven,” released in 1992. Other notable films include “The Conversation,” “The Royal Tenenbaums,” and “Hoosiers.”

<em>From <a href="https://www.theepochtimes.com/entertainment/gene-hackman-died-of-heart-disease-wife-died-of-hantavirus-about-1-week-prior-authorities-5822047">The Epoch Times</a></em>

Latest

Entertainment News

Videos

Breaking News

01_Lead Story

04_Top Stories

Premium Picks

Latest Clips

Management

Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. 

Jack Phillips

02_Second Lead

Latest and breaking news, documentaries, movies, and lifestyle content on NTD+.
 
Empower your knowledge and elevate your spirit with NTD+, your go-to destination for truthful news, insightful documentaries, and captivating lifestyle content that enriches your life.