Authorities in Santa Fe have released new details about the final days of Betsy Arakawa, the late wife of actor Gene Hackman, revealing that she spent her last days searching the internet for information on flu-like symptoms and respiratory issues before she died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in February.
Investigators found that Arakawa, 65, was researching medical conditions related to COVID-19 and flu-like symptoms on her computer between Feb. 8 and the morning of Feb. 12, according to an investigation report and records released Tuesday.
Her search history included questions about whether COVID-19 could cause dizziness or nosebleeds and searches about breathing techniques and local medical services.
On the morning of Feb. 12, Arakawa searched for a concierge medical service in Santa Fe and made a brief call to the provider, but missed a return call later that afternoon, according to investigators.
In an email to her massage therapist, Arakawa mentioned that Hackman had woken up on Feb. 11 with symptoms resembling a cold or the flu, but a COVID-19 test had returned negative. She wrote that she would need to reschedule her appointment “out of an abundance of caution,” according to the report.
The bodies of Arakawa and Hackman, 95, were discovered in their Santa Fe home on Feb. 26 by maintenance and security workers who alerted police after finding the couple’s remains, according to authorities.
Body Cam Footage
Police body camera footage, released as part of a court order, shows deputies and investigators searching the home for clues. Officers found one of the couple’s dogs dead in the bathroom near Arakawa’s body, while Hackman was found in a separate area of the house.“Two totally separate areas of the house,” one officer commented, with another responding, “Mhm, it’s strange,” according to the footage.
The officers, concerned about a possible gas leak, opened doors and windows, but testing found no leaks.
The footage also shows investigators reviewing prescription medications, counting cash found around the home, and noting that the couple’s art collection was undisturbed, with their home showing no signs of forced entry.
A state veterinary lab attributed the dog’s death to dehydration and starvation. Two other dogs were found alive at the home.
A report by the New Mexico Department of Health found rodent faeces in several outbuildings and live traps on the Hackman property, but there was no evidence of rodents inside the home, which was described as clean. The couple’s home, situated among the piñon and juniper hills overlooking Santa Fe, is in an area where mice are common, according to the report.
The release of investigation materials, including redacted police footage and reports, followed a court order after the Hackman estate and family members tried to keep the records sealed to protect their privacy, according to court documents. Media organizations, including the Associated Press, CBS News, and CBS Studios, intervened, agreeing not to disseminate images of the couple’s bodies and to blur any such images in released records.
