Gene Hackman Death Investigation: New Evidence Alters Timeline of Actor and Wife’s Last Days

The mystery surrounding the deaths of legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa-Hackman has taken a new turn as investigators uncover evidence that reshapes the timeline of their final days. According to the Santa Fe Sheriff's Department, preliminary cellphone records indicate Betsy may not have passed away on February 11, as initially believed.

Betsy's autopsy confirmed her death was natural, but toxicology results are still pending. Sheriff’s officials now reveal that Betsy’s phone was active on the morning of February 12. She reportedly placed three calls to Cloudberry Health, a medical center in Santa Fe, and received an unanswered incoming call from the same facility later that afternoon.

These revelations come as a temporary restraining order was issued to block the release of sensitive records, including photographs, videos, and autopsy reports related to the Hackmans' deaths. The order specifies that no footage of the Hackman residence, their bodies, or even deceased animals found at the scene can be disclosed. A hearing has been scheduled for March 31 to address these restrictions further.

Gene Hackman, who passed away from hypertensive atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease with Alzheimer’s as a contributing factor, was likely alone in his home for about a week before his death around February 18. Medical investigators confirmed his pacemaker recorded its last activity on that date.

Meanwhile, Betsy’s death was attributed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome—a rare but serious condition transmitted from rodents to humans. Dr. Heather Jarrell, Chief Medical Investigator, explained that hantavirus causes flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and coughing, which can escalate to lung failure and heart failure.

Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza shared that detectives have made significant progress in resolving key questions surrounding the case but are awaiting additional data to finalize their findings. The deaths of the Hackmans—both tragic in their own right—now carry an eerie complexity, as details continue to emerge.