New Evidence In Gene Hackman Death Investigation Brings Stunning Plot Twist
A trove of new evidence about Gene Hackman's final days is shedding further light on how long he may have survived without the care of his wife after she died
A trove of new evidence about Gene Hackmanâs final days is shedding further light on how long he may have survived without the care of his wife after she died days earlier, according to the Santa Fe Sheriffâs Department.
An autopsy report for Betsy Arakawa-Hackman concluded that she died on or around February 11th, about a week before the famed Hollywood actor is believed to have passed. Hackman, 95, was in the late stages of Alzheimerâs and relied heavily on his wife to provide care in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home where they lived with their three dogs.
âPending cell phone records, the Santa Fe County Sheriffâs Office investigation showed the last known activity of Mrs. Hackman to be February 11, 2025,â the sheriffâs department previously told media outlets.
However, a set of more detailed phone records shows that Arakawa-Hackman may have called for help the following morning.
âWe can now confirm that Mrs. Hackmanâs phone was utilized on the morning of February 12 to call a medical center in Santa Fe, Cloudberry Health,â authorities told Fox News.
The department confirmed, âA total of three calls were made that morning, all to the medical center. One incoming call was made to Mrs. Hackman from the same medical center that afternoon.â
âThat appeared as a missed call on Mrs. Hackmanâs cell phone.â
The finding comes a day after the Hackman estate won a court injunction to prevent the release of investigatory records about the couple.
A temporary restraining order states, âOffice of the Medical Investigator and the Santa Fe County Sheriffâs Office, including each entitiesâ agents, assigns, and employees are hereby temporarily restrained from disclosing through IPRA or other means, any and all photographs or videos containing images of the following: the body of Gene Hackman, the body of Betsy Arakawa-Hackman, the interior of Mr. and Mrs. Hackmanâs residence.â
Additionally, the order prohibits the release of âany lapel video footageâ showing the bodies of Hackman and his wife, as well as âimages of any deceased animals at the Hackman residenceâ obtained from officersâ body cameras. A hearing about the release of records held by the Office of the Medical Investigator is set for March 31st.
During a news conference last week, Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza said many of investigatorsâ original questions about Hackmanâs mysterious death had been answered but that they are working to tie up âloose endsâ before releasing the full results.
Authorities announced last week that Hackman officially died from hypertensive atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimerâs listed as a contributing factor. He was likely left alone for days until February 18th, when his pacemaker recorded its final activity.
Arakawa-Hackman was found dead on the floor of their home after succumbing to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease passed on by rodents, the New Mexico Department of Health confirmed.