Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s bodies are still unclaimed after a month, following their tragic deaths in February after they were found dead at their Santa Fe home, New Mexico
A month after their tragic passing, the bodies of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa, remain unclaimed. The pair were discovered deceased at their Santa Fe residence in New Mexico in February.
It’s believed that 65 year old classical pianist Betsy succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare respiratory disease carried by rats and mice, a week prior to Gene.
Betsy was last spotted alive running errands on February 11. However, police found unread emails from that day onwards, indicating she passed away around then.
Her spouse of 34 years, who was battling Alzheimer’s Disease, died shortly after at the age of 95. His pacemaker last registered a reading on February 18.
Their deaths weren’t reported until February 26 when the grim discovery was made. Dr Heather Jarrell, Chief Medical Examiner at the Office of the Medical Investigator, suggested it was quite likely that the Hollywood star was in such an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s that he wasn’t even aware his wife had passed away, reports the Mirror.
One of their pet dogs, who had been sick and recently seen by a vet, was also found dead at the property. Two other dogs were discovered alive and well at their home.
The remains of two individuals were transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner in New Mexico, and according to documents the Mirror got its hands on, they’ve been left unclaimed for over 30 days. The office reportedly issues a weekly list of unclaimed decedents every Monday, and as of March 24, the names of two-time Oscar winner Gene and Betsy were still on it, hinting that no one has stepped forward to claim them for funeral arrangements.
At a press conference earlier in March, Dr Jarrell shed light on the couple’s demise, confirming their passing was due to natural causes. The medical professional announced: “The cause of death for Miss Betsy Hackman, aged 65 years, is hantavirus, pulmonary syndrome.”
Dr Jarrell also elaborated on how Betsy might have caught the virus, stating: “We did identify signs of rodent entry and other structures on the property and provided information and resources mission related to those areas. Hantavirus can be transmitted to people through rodent urine, droppings or saliva, so it is important to take special steps when cleaning up after vermin; avoiding contact with or breathing in aerosolised rodent urine or faeces, especially in a poorly ventilated area, is key.”
Dr Jarrell has shed light on the multiple factors that led to the passing of Gene Hackman, aged 95. She detailed: “The cause of death for Mr. Gene Hackman, 95 years, is hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor. Autopsy examination and a full body post mortem CT examination showed severe heart disease, including multiple surgical procedures involving the heart, evidence of prior heart attacks and severe changes of the kidneys due to chronic high blood pressure.”
Further investigations revealed that Gene’s Alzheimer’s was in an advanced stage, yet he did not suffer from the same fatal illness as his wife. His pacemaker, which last indicated cardiac activity on February 18, pinpointed the day of his demise.
When questioned about the possibility of Gene surviving without his spouse, Dr Jarrell responded: “The answer to that question is that Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer’s disease. I’m not aware of what his normal daily functioning capability was. He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that is what resulted in his in his death.”
In a poignant note, she mentioned: ” I can tell you that he was in an advanced state of Alzheimer’s, and it’s quite possible that he was not aware that she [his wife] was deceased.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
