- New details have emerged surrounding the death of Betsy Arakawa
- The former classical pianist was the wife of Hollywood icon Gene Hackman
- Both were found dead at their Sante Fe home in late February
New evidence has come to light surrounding the final moments of Betsy Arakawa, wife of Hollywood icon Gene Hackman. Both were found dead at their farm home in Sante Fe, New Mexico in late February.
At first glance, the pair’s passing – alongside one of their family dogs – had all the trappings of a mystery. However, as authorities continue to investigate what happened, new evidence paints a picture of the couple’s final days.
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It was believed Arakawa had passed away on 11 February due to a Hantavirus infection. This rare respiratory disease is spread via rodents. Hackman was thought to have died roughly a week later from heart disease complicated by Alzheimer’s disease.
The pair were ultimately found by neighborhood security some time afterwards. However, the BBC reports that new evidence has since changed this supposed sequence of events.
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According to newly accessed phone records, Arakawa was found to have made a handful of phone calls to a local health service on the morning of 12 February – one day after authorities originally believed she had died.
New evidence changes Betsy Arakawa death timeline
Authorities at the Sante Fe Sheriff’s office learned of this new development only once they were able to access data from Arakawa’s cell phone.
Once they had this, they learned that Hackman’s wife had made a trio of calls to a medical practice named Cloudberry Health on the morning of 12 February. It is also believed that she received a call from the clinic but this went unanswered.
“That would indicate to me that she was seeking medical advice or medical help and may have not been feeling well,” explained Sante Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza whilst speaking to Good Morning America recently.
The same show contacted Cloudberry Health who confirmed reports that Arakawa had contacted them although they said she showed no signs of breathing difficulties or worry during these calls.
What happened to Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s wills?
This new development follow the news that Hackman’s children were reportedly not included in his will. As such, uncertainty surrounds the fate of his estate, something which is believed to be worth around $80 million.
Read more: How many kids does Gene Hackman have?
Hackman has three children with his former wife Faye Maltese including Christopher, 65, Elizabeth, 62 and Leslie, 58.
Hackman and Arakawa named each other as the sole beneficiaries in each of their wills. Despite this, a Californian attorney told the BBC that Hackman’s children could contest these requests as long as no other names were listed in Hackman and Arakawa’s wills.
