A February 27 autopsy of Gene Hackman reveals the 95-year-old Oscar winner died of a combination of “advanced Alzheimer’s disease” of and severe heart disease, the Santa Fe Medical Examiner announced today.
It is reasonable to conclude that Mr. Hackman died on February 17,” Dr. Heather Gerard said in a press conference with Santa Fe Sherif Adan Mendoza and other county officials. “He was in very poor health,” Dr. Gerard also noted of Hackman, adding that there was evidence that he hadn’t eaten for a number of days. Ms. Arakawa is assumed to have died on or around February 11, officials estimated.
Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa seems to have passed away from Hantavirus New Nexico health officials confirmed. Hantavirus is spread mainly by rodents feces, and is not spread from person-to-person, according to the CDC
The couple and one of their dogs were discovered dead and mummified in separate rooms of their Santa Fe residence at 1:45 p.m. MT on February 26, police said at the time.
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