Gene Hackman's final autopsy report has been released and reveals heartbreaking details about the Oscar-winning actor’s final days, along with the devastating private battle he faced in the weeks before his death.
Gene, 95, passed away in February, just days after the sudden death of his wife, Betsy Arakawa, at their secluded home in New Mexico.
Now, two months on, the full picture of what happened has begun to emerge, painting a tragic portrait of an ageing star grappling with serious illness and unimaginable loss.
Gene's medical history
According to medical records released by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, Gene had been suffering from a series of life-threatening health problems, including severe heart disease, chronic kidney failure, and advanced Alzheimer's disease.
The autopsy confirmed that Gene had a "bi-ventricular pacemaker" fitted since April 2019 and was living with "neurodegenerative features consistent with Alzheimer’s Disease." His cause of death was listed as severe atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s and kidney disease contributing.
© Animal Rescue Inc/ FacebookTragically, the findings suggest that Gene may have spent nearly a week wandering their home alone after Betsy’s death — never realising she had passed away.
Gene’s cognitive decline, caused by the late stages of Alzheimer's, likely shielded him from the full reality of the heartbreak that had unfolded around him. The couple, who had been married for more than three decades, had built a quiet life together, far away from the glare of Hollywood.
Betsy's tragic death
Betsy, 65, died first, on or around February 12, from respiratory failure caused by hantavirus, a rare and deadly illness contracted through exposure to rodent droppings and saliva.
Health officials later found that their property had become a "breeding ground" for rodents, with dead animals, nests, and droppings discovered across eight detached outbuildings, garages, sheds, and even inside vehicles.
© Getty ImagesThe New Mexico Department of Public Health concluded that the infestation likely posed a serious risk to both Betsy and anyone else who entered the property.
Photos taken inside the home showed heartbreaking scenes: their loyal dog still faithfully keeping watch over Betsy’s body, surrounded by clutter, handwritten love notes between the couple pinned to walls and tables, and smiling photos of Gene and Betsy over the years with their beloved German Shepherds.
Gene’s own autopsy ruled out hantavirus as a cause of death, he tested negative for the virus that had tragically claimed his wife’s life. Instead, it was the weight of his long-term illnesses that ultimately overcame him.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyGene's final days
Among the other findings was the presence of small amounts of acetone in Gene’s blood, which doctors said could be explained by "diabetic- and fasting-induced ketoacidosis", a sign that Gene, likely confused and grieving, may not have been eating properly in his final days.
Police officers who entered the Hackman home after a welfare check described the haunting sight of a once lively and vibrant house, now silent except for the couple’s dog. Bodycam footage captured the heartbreaking loyalty of their pet, refusing to leave Betsy's side.
Gene Hackman: 5 surprising facts
© Getty Images1. Joining the Marines
At 16, Gene left home to join the Marines, just three years after his father had abandoned his family.
2. 'Least likely to succeed'
Gene studied acting at Pasadena Theatre's acting school, where he was classmates and friends with Dustin Hoffman. Both were dubbed "least likely to succeed" because they didn’t fit the typical young leading man stereotype. Of course, they both proved everyone wrong.
3. His big break came later
Gene Hackman's career proves that big breaks can come later in life. At 37, he landed his first big role in the classic Bonnie and Clyde, which earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. However, it wasn’t until he was 41 that he landed his first leading role.
4. Retiring from acting
By the early 2000s, Gene had hundreds of film credits to his name but the stress of his career was taking a toll on his health. He told Empire that part of the reason for his retirement was the physical and emotional strain attendant on acting.
5. He didn’t watch his hit films
The French Connection, one of his most famous films, earned him an Oscar. However, Gene admitted in a 2021 interview with The New York Post that he only watched the film once during the initial screening. He didn’t enjoy watching himself on screen and didn’t grasp the lasting legacy of his films.
Friends close to the couple say the revelations have been "absolutely devastating" but not surprising, given the immense love and devotion Gene and Betsy had for one another.
"They were everything to each other," a friend shared. "Betsy took care of Gene in his later years with so much love. She made sure he could live out his life the way he wanted, peacefully, surrounded by love, not cameras."
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyGene and Betsy's love story
Gene and Betsy met in the mid-1980s at a Los Angeles gym where Betsy worked. Their relationship blossomed quietly, away from the public eye, and they married in 1991.
Throughout Gene’s retirement from acting — his final film role was in 2004's Welcome to Mooseport — they built a life rooted in simple joys: dogs, road trips, shared meals, and painting, which became one of Gene’s great passions.
While Gene's career made him one of Hollywood’s most respected and versatile actors, winning Academy Awards for The French Connection and Unforgiven, those closest to him say his greatest role was that of husband and companion.
"He achieved so much, but in the end, what mattered most to him was Betsy," a family friend said. "They were partners in the truest sense."
