Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, had fluid accumulation in her chest when she died of hantavirus complications, her final autopsy report revealed.
Her lungs were heavy and congested, and blood vessels were slightly hardened, according to the report, released Tuesday to The Associated Press.
The 65-year-old concert pianist did not have any of the diseases she was researching symptoms for in the days leading up to her death, the report found. Though she scoured the internet for information on flu-like symptoms and COVID-19, she tested negative for both, as did Hackman. The 95-year-old actor also was negative for hantavirus.
Her body showed no signs of trauma, and her carbon monoxide levels were within normal range, in keeping with the findings for Hackman. There were no intoxicating drugs or alcohol in her system, just caffeine, the report said.
The report, released two days after the final report for her husband, confirmed her death from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare but often fatal disease contracted via infected rodent droppings. “Several buildings on the couple’s property, though not their home itself, showed evidence of infestation,” investigators found.
Hackman died of heart disease complicated by advanced Alzheimer’s, and his toxicology report indicated he had not eaten in quite some time when his pacemaker stopped sending signals on Feb. 18. Arakawa died several days before her husband. The couple and their dog were discovered in their Santa Fe home on Feb. 26.
With News Wire Services
