Samantha Granville
BBC News, Los Angeles
Actor Gene Hackman died of natural causes about a week after his wife Betsy Arakawa, who died after contracting a rare virus, says a New Mexico medical investigator.
The Oscar-winning actor, 95, died at his Santa Fe home from coronary artery disease, with advanced Alzheimer’s disease a contributing factor.
Ms Arakawa, 65, died in the same house from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rare but serious respiratory illness caused by exposure to infected rodent droppings.
Authorities believe she passed away about seven days before her husband. Her cause of death was listed as natural.
It is likely that Ms Arakawa died first on 11 February, Dr Heather Jarrell of the New Mexico Medical Investigator’s Office told a news conference on Friday.
She said it was “reasonable to conclude” that Hackman died on 18 February.
Ms Arakawa’s last known movements and correspondence were on 11 February, when she was seen going to a supermarket and returning home in the early evening.
Given that Hackman was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease it is “quite possible that he was not aware that she [his wife] was deceased”, said Dr Jarrell.
She told reporters she was “not aware of his normal daily functioning capability”.
He had “significant heart disease, and ultimately that’s what resulted in his death”, Dr Jarrell said.
He had not eaten anything recently, but showed no indications of dehydration, she added.
“It’s quite possible that he was not aware that she was deceased.”
HPS is transmitted through contact with rodent droppings, urine or saliva, often when contaminated dust is inhaled.
At the press conference, New Mexico Public Health Veterinarian Erin Phipps emphasised that hantavirus infections are extremely rare.
She noted that 136 cases had been reported in the state over the past 50 years, and 42% resulted in fatalities.
Ms Phipps said evidence of rodent activity was found in some buildings on the property, though the risk inside the main house was considered “low”.
Investigators are trying to determine how Ms Arakawa contracted the illness. Hackman tested negative for hantavirus.
While rare, the disease can be lead to respiratory failure in some cases.
The couple, who had been married for more than 30 years, were found in their home after neighbourhood security conducted a welfare check and saw their bodies on the ground through the window.
The couple’s bodies were discovered in advanced stages of decomposition, suggesting they had been dead for several days before the wellness check that led to their discovery.
Hackman’s body was in a sideroom next to the kitchen, with a walking cane and a pair of sunglasses nearby, according to a search warrant affidavit.
Ms Arakawa’s body was found in the bathroom, with scattered pills near her.
Sheriff’s deputies found medication for thyroid and blood pressure treatment, along with pain reliever Tylenol, according to a court-filed inventory.
Citing privacy laws, authorities did not disclose who had been prescribed the drugs.
One of the couple’s three dogs was also found dead inside a crate near Ms Arakawa, while the other two dogs were alive.
The cause of death for the dog is yet to be determined, officials say.
Initial investigations found no signs of forced entry or foul play at their $3.8m (£3m) home. Tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative, and no significant gas leaks were detected.
Hackman is survived by three adult children from his previous marriage.
