Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead on February 26, and an expert has weighed in on why it took so long for their bodies to be found
Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa died around a week apart.
The Hollywood legend, 95, was found dead at his Santa Fe home in New Mexico on February 26, along with Betsy, 65, and one of their dogs. Their bodies were found partially mummified, in separate rooms of their proeprty.
It’s since been revealed Gene died of natural causes about a week after Betsy, who died from a rare virus. Authorities revealed Hackman died from coronary artery disease, and advanced Alzheimer’s disease was a contributing factor.
Arakawa, a classical pianist, died from Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a respiratory disease caused by exposure to infected rats. However, authorities believe Arakawa died on February 11, around seven days before her famous husband, who likely died on February 18.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden has now shared a heartbreaking theory as to why the couple weren’t found for days after they died. He believes the couple weren’t found for so long – up to eight days – because Hackman hadn’t realised Betsy was dead prior to his own death, because of his advanced Alzheimer’s symptoms.
He said: “I think what [happened] here is he didn’t realize it and … didn’t understand that she was dead. He didn’t understand that he needed to call 911.
Dr. Baden told Fox News: “It sounded like he kind of wandered around, was able to drink water from… [the] kitchen sink or even get some food out of the refrigerator… [he] probably couldn’t cook anything but could eat bread or something if he was hungry.”
Medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel added to the outlet: ‘If he was incapable of calling 911, and getting her seen, and just sat there for a week, then he either went into a state of great despondency or was somehow incapacitated himself. Or his Alzheimer’s was so severe that he was incapable of even noticing what was going on”.
This theory is backed up by Dr Heather Jarrell of the New Mexico Medical Investigator’s Office, who on Friday (March 7) confirmed the approximate times of Gene and Betsy’s deaths. She said that, given the advanced nature of his Alzheimer’s, it was “quite possible that he was not aware that she [his wife] was deceased”.
She told reporters she was “not aware of his normal daily functioning capability”. She also confirmed Hackman had not eaten anything recently, but had showed no signs of dehydration.
The bodies of Gene and Betsy were discovered at their $3.3m (£2.61m) Santa Fe home on February 26 by a maintenance worker who had arrived to do some work on the property. The worker made a panicked call to 911 after spotting the actor and his wife through a window of the property – they were unresponsive and lying on the ground.
In the heartbreaking call, the worker could be heard sobbing and repeating the word “damn” as they told the operator Betsy’s body was “not moving”. He urged the operator to “send someone up here real quick”, after which deputies arrived on the scene.
Betsy was found lying on the bathroom floor of the 2,300 sq ft ranch-style property, which is part of a gated community. Cops said she was “found decomposed with bloating on her face and mummification in her hands and feet”.
Double Oscar winner Gene, who was near the kitchen, displayed the same signs of decomposition as his wife. The search warrant said: “The male decedent also showed obvious signs of death, similar and consistent with the female decedent”.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
