Gene Hackman died of heart disease, his wife died of hantavirus about 1 week prior, autopsies reveal
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, and he may not have been aware she was dead because he showed severe signs of Alzheimer맥스카지노s disease, authorities revealed Friday.
Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference.
맥스카지노Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer맥스카지노s disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that맥스카지노s what resulted in his death.맥스카지노
Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative.
Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, a pet store and a farm market, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday.
Video below: Dr. Heather Jarrell Chief Medical Investigator: Gene Hackman cause of death
Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18., the day he likely died, Jarrell said.
Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said.
맥스카지노It맥스카지노s quite possible he was not aware she was deceased,맥스카지노 Jarrell said.
Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer맥스카지노s disease and unable to deal with his wife맥스카지노s death in the last week of his life.
맥스카지노You are talking about very severe Alzheimer맥스카지노s disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care of him until she passed away,맥스카지노 Baden said.
Their bodies were found a little over a week later. Hackman was found in the home맥스카지노s entryway. His death was tied to heart disease with Alzheimer맥스카지노s disease contributing.
Arakawa was found in a bathroom. Authorities linked her death to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal disease spread by infected rodent droppings. Thyroid medication pills prescribed to Arakawa were found nearby and weren맥스카지노t listed as contributing to her death, Jarrell said.
Hantavirus is typically is reported in spring and summer, often due to exposures that occur when people are near mouse droppings in homes, sheds or poorly ventilated areas. This is the first confirmed case of hantavirus in New Mexico this year.
While hantavirus is found throughout the world, most cases in the U.S. have been found in western states. The virus can cause a severe and sometimes deadly lung infection. Symptoms can include coughing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest.
Jarrell said it was not known how quickly Arakawa died.
Video below: Dr. Erin Phipps, New Mexico State Veterinarian on hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
One of the couple맥스카지노s three dogs also was found dead in a crate in a bathroom closet near Arakawa, while two other dogs survived. Authorities initially misidentified the breed.
Dogs do not get sick from hantavirus, said Erin Phipps, a veterinarian with the New Mexico Health Department. A necropsy will be done on the dog. The sheriff considers this an open investigation until they finish checking into cellphone data and receive results of the dog맥스카지노s necropsy.
When Hackman and Arakawa were found, the bodies were decomposing with some mummification, a consequence of body type and climate in Santa Fe맥스카지노s especially dry air at an elevation of nearly 7,200 feet.
맥스카지노All of us that knew him should have been checking on him,맥스카지노 said Stuart Ashman, co-owner of Artes de Cuba gallery who cherished his encounters with Hackman at a local Pilates exercise studio, where they used to swap stories. 맥스카지노I had no idea. ... It's just really sad. And that she died a week before him. My God.맥스카지노
Video below: See the full press conference
Dr. Victor Weedn, a forensic pathologist in Virginia, said when two bodies are found at the same time, the usual assumption would be that they died at the same time. But Hackman맥스카지노s Alzheimer맥스카지노s disease added a complicating factor: He apparently was unable to seek help after his wife died.
맥스카지노They died several days apart: One dying of a viral infection, the hantavirus, which can kill quite quickly. And the other death occurring from heart disease. And that too can be a relatively sudden death," Weedn said. "Their (the authorities맥스카지노) explanation, I thought, was quite clear and plausible. I believe they really discovered what truly happened in this case.맥스카지노
Hackman, a Hollywood icon, won two Oscars during a storied career in films including 맥스카지노The French Connection,맥스카지노 "Hoosiers" and 맥스카지노Superman맥스카지노 from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s.
Arakawa, born in Hawaii, studied as a concert pianist, attended the University of Southern California and met Hackman in the mid-1980s while working at a California gym.
The couple맥스카지노s stucco, Pueblo-revival style home sits on a hill in a gated community at the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains. Santa Fe is known as a refuge for celebrities, artists and authors.
Hackman dedicated much of his time in retirement to painting and writing novels far from Hollywood맥스카지노s social circuit. He served for several years on the board of trustees at the Georgia O맥스카지노Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, and he and his wife were investors in local businesses.
