Showbiz

Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa’s bodies laid to rest in private family memorial

Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa’s bodies laid to rest in private family memorial

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have finally been laid to rest weeks after their shocking deaths.

The Oscar-winning actor and his classical pianist wife had their funeral in Santa Fe, New Mexico, People reported on Tuesday.

It was preceded by a private memorial service for an intimate group family — including Hackman’s three children — and close friends.

The family farewell comes after Hackman and his wife’s bodies were discovered in their Santa Fe home on February 26.

Police have since determined that Arakawa died first around February 12 as a result of respiratory symptoms caused by the rare, but ᴅᴇᴀᴅly, hantavirus, which is pᴀssed on through rodent urine, saliva and feces. She was 65.

A report obtained by DailyMail.com indicated that Arakawa had bookmarks on her computer suggesting that she had been researching medical conditions with symptoms similar to Covid-19 or the flu prior to her death.

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have finally been laid to rest after weeks after their shocking deaths. The Oscar-winning actor and his classical pianist wife had their funeral in Santa Fe, New Mexico, People reported on Tuesday; pictured together in 2003 in Beverly Hills

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have finally been laid to rest after weeks after their shocking deaths. The Oscar-winning actor and his classical pianist wife had their funeral in Santa Fe, New Mexico, People reported on Tuesday; pictured together in 2003 in Beverly Hills

Hackman, who was suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s disease at the time, is believed to have wandered around the couple’s home alone after his wife’s death.

The actor, who was 95, is believed to have died nearly a week later, around February 18, from severe heart disease, while Alzheimer’s and kidney disease were contributing factors. 

Read MoreEXCLUSIVE Chilling video inside Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s home reveals their dog’s heartbreaking act article image

One of the couple’s dogs, an Australian Kelpie mix named Zinna, was also found ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in their home in a crate, where it is thought to have died from dehydration and starvation. 

Hackman and Arakawa’s two other dogs were found alive on their property.

Sources shared that Hackman’s son Christopher, 65, and his daughters Elizabeth, 62, and Leslie, 58, were all in attendance at the couple’s memorial service.

Hackman shared his three children with his first wife, Faye Maltese, who died in 2017. They were married from 1956 until their 1986 divorce. 

He and Arakawa later wed in 1991 after being together for seven years.

Late in life, Hackman admitted to having regrets about the amount of time he spent away from his family while shooting films.

The family farewell comes after Hackman and his wife's bodies were discovered in their Santa Fe home on February 26; police are pictured outside the house on February 27

The family farewell comes after Hackman and his wife’s bodies were discovered in their Santa Fe home on February 26; police are pictured outside the house on February 27

The funeral was reportedly preceded by a private memorial service for an intimate group family — including Hackman's three children — and close friends; Hackman pictured in LA in 1996

The funeral was reportedly preceded by a private memorial service for an intimate group family — including Hackman’s three children — and close friends; Hackman pictured in LA in 1996

Among those attending were 62-year-old daughter Elizabeth (L) and 58-year-old Leslie (R), as well as his son Christopher, 65; Hackman's daughters are pictured on February 27 near Burbank, Calif.

Among those attending were 62-year-old daughter Elizabeth (L) and 58-year-old Leslie (R), as well as his son Christopher, 65; Hackman’s daughters are pictured on February 27 near Burbank, Calif.

Late in life, Hackman admitted to having regrets about the amount of time he spent away from his family while shooting films. He said he 'lost touch' with his son Christopher (L); Gene and his children at the Superman premiere in Washington, D.C., in December 1978

Late in life, Hackman admitted to having regrets about the amount of time he spent away from his family while shooting films. He said he ‘lost touch’ with his son Christopher (L); Gene and his children at the Superman premiere in Washington, D.C., in December 1978

However, he appeared to have made more of an effort to stay in touch with his younger daughters, who were occasionally seen with him at film premieres or were spotted on the set of his films; pictured at the Superman premiere in Washington, D.C., in December 1978

However, he appeared to have made more of an effort to stay in touch with his younger daughters, who were occasionally seen with him at film premieres or were spotted on the set of his films; pictured at the Superman premiere in Washington, D.C., in December 1978 

He said he ‘lost touch’ with his son Christopher because he was ‘gone so much’ during the period when his son was at an ‘age where he needed support and guidance.’ 

However, he appeared to have made more of an effort to stay in touch with his younger daughters, who were occasionally seen with him at film premieres or were spotted on the set of his films.

Following Hackman’s death, his estate seems poised for a battle over his ᴀssets after he didn’t appear to have written his children into his will.

It was revealed in March that the Unforgiven star had left his entire $80 million Hollywood fortune to his late wife Betsy.

However, Hackman made a crucial mistake Hackman made late in life when planning out his estate.

Documents obtained by DailyMail.com in March revealed that a representative of his estate had filed a peтιтion in court to appoint a new temporary successor trustee, as previous successor trustees he had listed — including Arakawa — had all died before him, leaving no one left that he had specified to run his trusts.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Hackman and Arakawa’s home was infested with rats that spread the ᴅᴇᴀᴅly hantavirus that led to Arakawa’s death.

Although carbon monoxide poisoning was initially considered as a possible cause of death, it was later ruled out after investigators discovered two of the couple’s dogs alive on the property, and the hantavirus soon emerged as a culprit.

Authorities have released law enforcement body camera footage from outside the home of Gene Hackman, where the actor and wife Betsy Arakawa were found ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in late February. The outhouses were infested with rodents, TMZ reported

Authorities have released law enforcement body camera footage from outside the home of Gene Hackman, where the actor and wife Betsy Arakawa were found ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in late February. The outhouses were infested with rodents, TMZ reported

The house owned by actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa as it stood on February 27, 2025

The house owned by actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa as it stood on February 27, 2025

A week after the bodies were discovered, the New Mexico Department of Public Health conducted a health ᴀssessment on the property and discovered a severe rodent infestation

A week after the bodies were discovered, the New Mexico Department of Public Health conducted a health ᴀssessment on the property and discovered a severe rodent infestation

Hackman may have been unaware Arakawa was ᴅᴇᴀᴅ, investigators speculated, given his severe health condition at the time of her death. 

A week after the bodies were discovered, the New Mexico Department of Public Health conducted a health ᴀssessment on the property.

The department concluded that ᴅᴇᴀᴅ rodents and their nests were found in ‘eight detached outbuildings’ on the Hackman property, making it a ‘breeding ground’ for the hantavirus, TMZ reported. 

Read More Warning to millions over rodent disease that killed Gene Hackman’s wife article image

The ᴅᴇᴀᴅly hantavirus typically spreads through rodent urine and droppings that one may come into contact with when cleaning a basement or an attic.

There were droppings found in three garages, two casitas, and three sheds on the property.

Additionally, there was a live rodent, a ᴅᴇᴀᴅ rodent and a rodent nest found in three more garages on the property, according to the inspectors.

There were also two vehicles seen on the estate that had evidence of rodents, and they even found traps in the buildings as well, suggesting this had been an ongoing issue for the Hackmans.

The health ᴀssessment was conducted to ᴀssess whether first responders or others who were on the property were safe from the virus.

There were droppings found in three garages, two casitas, and three sheds on the property; pictured in 1994 in West Hollywood

There were droppings found in three garages, two casitas, and three sheds on the property; pictured in 1994 in West Hollywood

The results revealed that the primary residence was deemed ‘low-risk’ with no signs of a rodent infestation inside. 

The hantavirus was first identified in South Korea in 1978 when researchers isolated the virus from a field mouse. 

Read MoreEXCLUSIVE Gene Hackman’s daughter breaks silence on her reclusive father after his mysterious death article image

The virus is rare in the US, with fewer than 50 cases reported yearly. For reference, there are roughly 2,000 cases of West Nile Virus reported in the US annually.

However, after Arakawa’s death, the virus claimed three more victims in the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. 

Hackman’s 1995 will listed Arakawa — whom he married in 1991 — as his sole inheritor.

However, Arakawa’s will indicated that if the spouses were to die within 90 days of each other, the proceeds from the estate would be donated to charity.

Hackman retired from acting after 2004’s Welcome To Mooseport, and he was rarely seen in public during the final two decades of his life. 

The body cam footage and details of the investigation into Hackman’s property were made public by court order earlier this month. 

A health ᴀssessment was conducted to ᴀssess whether first responders or others who were on the property were safe from the hantavirus that killed Arakawa, but it was deemed to be a 'low-risk' setting; Hackman and Arakawa seen with their dogs Maisie and Roscoe in 2007

A health ᴀssessment was conducted to ᴀssess whether first responders or others who were on the property were safe from the hantavirus that killed Arakawa, but it was deemed to be a ‘low-risk’ setting; Hackman and Arakawa seen with their dogs Maisie and Roscoe in 2007

The ruling from a New Mexico judge allowed the release of redacted police body camera video and other investigative materials, including images of the couple’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅ dog. 

All pH๏τos, video and documents from the investigation had been restricted from release by an earlier, temporary court order, to protect the Hackman family’s consтιтutional right to privacy. 

An attorney for the estate, Kurt Sommer, argued that the couple took great pains to stay out of the public light during their lifetimes and that the right to control the use of their names and likenesses should extend to their estate in death. 

But judge Matthew Wilson permitted details to be released, provided they did not depict the bodies of Hackman or Arakawa. 

‘There shall be no depiction of either body in any video production’ or pH๏τographic image of the bodies, Santa Fe-based Judge Matthew Wilson said in response to questions from attorneys on his ruling.

The previously redacted body cam footage shows deputies talking with two workers who called authorities to report seeing someone lying on the floor inside the Hackman home. 

With no signs of forced entry or other evidence of suspicious circumstances, the deputies asked about the possibility of a gas leak or carbon monoxide poisoning, and the workers said they didn’t see how that could have been the case.

‘Something’s not right,’ one of the workers said.

Authorities quickly determined there were no leaks that could have been fatal, fuelling a mystery that captured the public’s attention.

But the case was ultimately when medical investigators confirmed that Hackman died of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer´s about a week after hantavirus pulmonary syndrome took the life of his wife.

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