Days before she and her husband, actor Gene Hackman, died at their home, Betsy Arakawa repeatedly searched online about flu- and Covid-like symptoms, according to records released on Tuesday by New Mexico authorities.
The records – including witness interviews, photographs of the scene and police body camera footage – provided some new insights into the final days of the couple at their home near Santa Fe in February.
After his wife’s death, Hackman (95) lived alone in the home for nearly a week before dying of heart disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a contributing factor.
Arakawa (65) died from hantavirus, which is contracted through the exposure to excrement from rodents and can cause flulike symptoms before progressing to shortness of breath as well as cardiac and lung failure.
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Police records released in the case on Tuesday included Arakawa’s Google searches a couple of days before her death, including “Can Covid cause dizziness?” and “Flu and nosebleeds” on February 10th.
The next day, she emailed her massage therapist to cancel an appointment, writing that her husband woke up that morning with “flu/cold-like symptoms” but had tested negative for Covid. That day, she ordered oxygen canisters from Amazon for “respiratory support”.
The couple’s family had asked a court in New Mexico to prevent authorities from releasing records related to their death, citing a desire for privacy. Hackman, known for his roles in The French Connection and Hoosiers, and Arakawa had lived for many years in a secluded neighbourhood east of Santa Fe, at the top of a large hill. They were frequently described as reclusive and had grown even more isolated in recent years, particularly after the coronavirus pandemic.
Some news organisations opposed the family’s request, and a judge ordered that officials could release photographs and body camera footage as long as the couple’s bodies were not visible.
Multiple officers’ body camera footage that was released blurs out their bodies.
Hackman and Arakawa’s bodies were discovered February 26th after a maintenance worker who was working for the couple grew concerned when communication with Arakawa about fireproofing materials for the home suddenly ceased. When the worker went to the home with a neighbourhood security guard, the two men found a partially open door leading to the bathroom where Arakawa was found lying on the floor; the security guard then called 911.
Investigators who responded found Hackman on the floor of the mudroom on the opposite end of the house. “He showed signs of active decay, including blackened hands with tissue breakdown,” detective Joel Cano wrote in a report released on Tuesday.
One of the couple’s dogs, an Austrian Kelpie named Zinna, was found dead in a crate, where she had been recovering from gallbladder and spleen surgery. A report from a veterinary lab determined that the dog most likely died from dehydration and starvation.
Footage from the room where Arakawa was found showed a counter scattered with pills, which were found to be unrelated to her death. Zinna was found in a crate in an adjoining room with dressers and a sofa.
The New Mexico Department of Health identified rodent faeces in three garages and two smaller guest homes. Three sheds were also accessible to rodents, according to the department. On the day the couple’s bodies were found, a pest control worker was visiting the home to complete his monthly visit to treat the perimeter.
The extent of Arakawa’s symptoms before her death are still unclear. On February 11th, security footage showed her visiting shops, including a pet food shop and a grocery shop, while wearing a medical mask. The next day, she called to schedule an appointment with a concierge medical service, reporting symptoms of congestion, but did not attend. The autopsy found inflammation in her lungs.
The chief medical examiner overseeing the case has said that because Hackman, who tested negative for hantavirus, had advanced Alzheimer’s disease, it was unclear whether he was aware that his wife had died. There were no indications he had called for help.
In a police interview with Hackman’s two daughters – whom he had with his first wife – they said he did not know how to operate a mobile and could not send emails. They said they were aware their father had memory issues, according to the report by Cano.
“They recalled that on January 30th, 2024, Gene had to be reminded three times that it was his birthday,” he wrote. – This article originally appeared in The New York Times
