Authorities in New Mexico have ruled that actor Gene Hackman died from a cardiovascular disease, while his wife died from a rare disease carried by rodents

Couple’s mummified remains were discovered by two maintenance workers in separate rooms of their multi-million Santa Fe home last Wednesday, Feb 26

Chief medical investigator for the state of New Mexico, Dr. Heather Jarrell, Friday said that autopsies had been performed on the couple last Thursday

Dr. Jarrell ruled that Arakawa, 65, died first around Feb. 11, from Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a rare disease carried by rodents

Hackman, 95, she ruled died around Feb. 18, from hypertensive cardiovascular disease which was exacerbated by his Alzheimer’s

Veteran movie star Gene Hackman and his wife concert pianist wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead at their Santa Fe, New Mexico home last week

After much speculation authorities in New Mexico finally ruled on cause of death for veteran Hollywood actor Gene Hackman and his wife.
The couple’s mummified remains were discovered by two maintenance workers in separate rooms of their $3.8 million Santa Fe abode last Wednesday, February 26. 
Dr. Heather Jarrell chief medical investigator for the state of New Mexico said on Friday that autopsies had been performed on the couple last Thursday indicating that Hackman, 95, died from a cardiovascular disease, while his wife died from a rare disease carried by rodents.

Giving the update on Friday, New Mexico chief medical investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell revealed cause of death for Arakawa to be Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. For Hackman it was hypertensive cardiovascular disease which was exacerbated by his Alzheimer

She ruled that Arakawa, 65, died from Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a rare disease carried by rodents. 
Hackman died from hypertensive cardiovascular disease which was exacerbated by his Alzheimer’s, clarifying that his autopsy found no signs of internal or external trauma. Instead investigations revealed severe heart disease and evidence of prior heart attacks. 
Arakawa is said to have died first on February 11 due to her infection, which initially presents with flu like symptoms. The ME said it was likely that the five-time Oscar nominee didn’t even realize his wife had died due to his advanced Alzheimer’s. 
Jarrell said there was no reliable method to get an exact time for death, but concluded that he probably died around February 18. 

Hackman and Arakawa e seen with two unidentified dogs were known to love German Shepherds. One of their dogs also died in their home. Two other dogs survived

Even as detectives wait on retrieving her full cell phone data, they confirmed her last recorded activity was February 11. In a full timeline of events, officials said that Arakawa had picked up their dog Zena from a vet hospital on February 9. 
On February 11, they said she had an email conversation with her massage therapist before later in the afternoon going to a farmers market. Arakawa was caught on CVS surveillance footage shortly after the market, before she visited a local pet food store. 
Her car was then seen on surveillance entering the gated community at 5:15pm on February 11. 
Numerous emails went unopened on February 11. Significantly there was no further communication from her account after that day, New Mexico officials said.

The last known activity for Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, was on Feb. 11. ME said she died first, likely on February 11 due to her infection, which initially presents with flu like symptoms

Hackman was discovered lying on the ground of a mud room just off the kitchen with his sunglasses and cane nearby, indicating he may have fallen according to officials.
His wife was found lying on her side in the bathroom with a space heater next to her head. Unidentified prescription pills were strewn across a nearby countertop.
It is unclear what those medications were or who they’d been prescribed for. A space heater was on the floor next to her and cops believe it may have fallen around the time of her death. 
Last week, Santa Fe officials said that Hackman’s last event noted on his pacemaker was recorded on February 17, that timeline now seems to have changed to the 18th.
Officials had also said that there was no trace of carbon monoxide in the bodies of the couple.

Santa Fe officials last week said that Hackman’s last event noted on his pacemaker was recorded weeks earlier on February 17. Estimated time of death was around February 18. 

Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead at their sprawling home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on February 26

Hackman’s daughter Elizabeth had earlier floated a theory that the couple had died from carbon monoxide poisoning, which authorities officially quashed last week after she told TMZ the family believed her father and stepmom’s deaths likely happened after inhaling the toxic fumes. 
Hackman and Arakawa, a classical pianist, had been married for the last three decades, but he shared three children with his first wife Faye Maltese.
Hackman met classical pianist Arakawa in California in the mid-1980s. After his retirement from the movie industry the end of the decade, the couple transplanted to Santa Fe where they kept out of the public eye for years.