Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman was in an advanced state of Alzheimer's and died of heart disease and other factors, according to autopsy results released on Friday in New Mexico.
Authorities said the 95-year-old passed away a week after his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, who died of a rare virus spread by mice. They added that he may or may not have known she was deceased.
The finding bring a week-long mystery to a close, after the couple and one of their dogs were found dead in separate rooms of their Santa Fe home on February 26.
"The cause of death for Mr. Gene Hackman, aged 95 years, is hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer's disease as a significant contributory factor," Heather Jarrell, the chief medical examiner for the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, told reporters.
Chief Medical Investigator Heather Jarrell said the pair had each died as a result of various health complications. Source: AP, AAP / Susan Montoya Bryan
Hantavirus presents as a flu-like disease, with symptoms including fever, muscle aches, cough, sometimes vomiting and diarrhea that can progress to shortness of breath and cardiac or heart failure and lung failure, Jarrell said.
"This occurs after a one- to eight-week exposure to excrement from a particular mouse species that carries hantavirus."
Hantavirus spreads through contact with rodents or their urine and faeces. It does not transmit between humans.
While there is no specific treatment or cure, seeking early medical attention can enhance the chances of survival.
Jarrell said data from Hackman's pacemaker showed its last activity was over a week before his body was found.
The discovery of the pair came after a maintenance worker, who was visiting their home to perform routine work, reported that the front door had been left open.
First responders found the door open and pills scattered next to Arakawa's body in the bathroom.
Gene Hackman & wife Betsy Arakawa during The 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Arrivals at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, United States. (Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage) Source: Getty / Steve Granitz / WireImage
Hackman and Arakawa, a pianist, had lived in the sprawling Santa Fe property since the 1980s and were active in the city's arts community and culinary scene.
In recent years, the couple had been seen less often in town as Hackman's health deteriorated. They lived a very private life before their deaths, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said.
