Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa deaths linked to hantavirus as bodycam footage reveals tragic home scene

Police bodycam footage released by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office reveals heartbreaking scenes inside the home of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, whose bodies were discovered in February. The 11-minute video shows deputies entering the couple’s $4 million Santa Fe residence, where their German shepherd sat beside Arakawa’s lifeless body, visibly distressed.

Authorities discovered Arakawa, 65, in the bathroom on February 26, the same day Hackman’s body was found nearby in a mudroom. A deputy noted signs of rigor mortis, adding that it appeared Hackman had collapsed while trying to exit the home. A second dog, a 12-year-old Kelpie mix, was found deceased in a nearby crate — likely from starvation and dehydration, according to a necropsy report.

Carbon monoxide poisoning was initially considered but later ruled out. Medical examiners determined Arakawa died around February 12 from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare illness contracted through rodent droppings and urine. Hackman, reportedly unaware of her death due to severe health decline, passed away six days later from heart disease, worsened by Alzheimer’s and kidney disease.

The home was cluttered with clothes, documents, and personal items. A follow-up inspection by the New Mexico Department of Public Health revealed rodent infestations in the property’s garages, sheds, and casitas. The department described the home as a “breeding ground” for hantavirus, though the main living areas were relatively clean.

Arakawa had searched online for flu and COVID-related symptoms in the days before her death. Her will specified that if she and Hackman died within 90 days of each other, their estate would be donated to charity. Hackman and Arakawa were laid to rest in a private Santa Fe ceremony, attended by the actor’s three children.