Gene Hackman updates: Authorities reveal shocking causes of deaths of Oscar-winning actor and wife

Asked about Hackman’s ability to keep himself alive after his wife’s death, New Mexico’s Chief Medical Examiner Dr Heather Jerrell said: “I’m not aware of what his normal daily functioning capability was. He was in a very poor state of health.

“He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that is what resulted in his death.

“I was able to look at fluid to determine if he was dehydrated, and I did not see evidence of dehydration. I did see evidence of very poor kidney function, and I think he died as a result of his heart disease, with Alzheimer’s being a contributing factor.”

Asked whether starvation was a factor in his death, Dr Jerrell added: “There was no food in his stomach, which means he had not eaten recently, but he had also no evidence of dehydration.”

While discussing the manner of Betsy Arakawa’s death, New Mexico’s Chief Medical Examiner Dr Heather Jerrell explained: “Hantavirus infection is characterized by flu like symptoms consisting of fever, muscle aches, cough, sometimes vomiting and diarrhea that can progress to shortness of breath and cardiac or heart failure and lung failure.”

She added: “This occurs after a one to eight week exposure to excrement from, primarily, a particular mouse species that carries hantavirus.”

Learn more about the deadly disease here:

There had previously been speculation about the scattered pills found near Betsy Arakawa’s body, but speaking today New Mexico’s Chief Medical Examiner Dr Heather Jerrell said they were unrelated to her death.

“Pills present on scene were thyroid medication which were being taken as prescribed and are not currently a concern for a contributory cause of death,” said Dr Jerrell.

Two days after collecting Zinna from the vet, Betsy Arakawa was seen in public for the final time on February 11.

Between 3:30 p.m. and 4:15 p.m., she was captured on surveillance footage shopping for groceries at Sprouts Farmers Market. She was later seen in a CVS Pharmacy in Santa Fe from around 4:12 to 4:20 p.m., before stopping at a local pet food store at about 4:54 p.m.

She used a remote control clicker in her car to enter the gated community where the Hackmans’ lived at 5:15 p.m.

After her death numerous emails were found unopened on her computer from February 11, and there was no additional outgoing communication from her or known activity after that date.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said it was hard to tell, judging by where and how Hackman was found, if he had been going to seek help for his wife. “That’s hard to answer,” Mendoza said.

“Again, it’s hard to get into the frame of mind of what was happening at the time. And I don’t know if we’ll ever have the answer to that question, whether he was going to go for help.”

The rare and potentially deadly disease needs to be treated early before severe symptoms develop.

Here’s everything you need to know:

Zinna (short for Zinfandel), the kelpie mix who was found dead in a crate not far from Betsy Arakawa, has been taken for necropsy at the Veterinary Diagnostic Services.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza said: “We’ll be awaiting those results.”

He also revealed that Arakawa had collected Zinna from Gruda Veterinary Hospital on February 9.

“There was a procedure that was done with the with the dog, which may explain why their dog was in a crate at the residence,” said Mendoza.

Today’s press conference has answered a lot of the questions that surrounded the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa.

Here’s everything we now know: