Gene Hackman’s Final Autopsy Results Reveal Extensive Health Issues Prior to Death

New details have emerged regarding the death of Oscar winner Gene Hackman. It’s been over two months since the late Lex Luthor actor and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their Santa Fe home. An investigation was opened considering the age of Hackman (95) and Arakawa (65), and what police discovered when their bodies were found. Police called their deaths “suspicious,” and their bodies were found in different parts of the home, along with one of the couple’s dogs. The first report of their autopsies listed some of their health issues, but the release of Hackman’s final autopsy reveals even more underlying health issues.

The autopsy on Gene Hackman “showed severe atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease with placement of coronary artery stents and a bypass graft, as well as a previous aortic valve replacement,” according to a report obtained by Fox News Digital. The belief is that Arakawa died a week before Hackman, with the latter not realizing she had died because of his advanced Alzheimer’s disease. Arakawa’s cause of death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare rodent-borne disease.

“Remote myocardial infarctions were present involving the left ventricular free wall and the septum, which were significantly large. Examination of the brain showed microscopic findings of advanced stage Alzheimer’s disease.”

[RELATED: 47 Years Later, Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor Is Still the Best DC Movie Villain]

Hackman’s time of death was estimated using the last recorded activity on a “bi-ventricular pacemaker” that he was fitted with back in April 2019. As for Arakawa, her date of death was estimated to be February 12th, which was the last time she corresponded via email or phone.

Hackman was diagnosed with a “history of congestive heart failure” along with “severe chronic hypertensive changes, kidneys” and “neurodegenerative features consistent with Alzheimer’s disease”. A maintenance worker of Hackman and Arakawa discovered their bodies on February 26th.

Gene Hackman was found on the mud room floor, where he appeared to have fallen suddenly. Arakawa was found on the floor in a bathroom lying on her side, with a German shepherd found dead approximately 10 to 15 feet from her. A space heater was also near Arakawa, and an open prescription bottle was on the counter with some of the pills scattered, per the search warrant that was issued when their deaths were discovered. Hackman’s family had the police investigate possible carbon monoxide poisoning, but the Santa Fe City Fire Department found no evidence during their search.

The actor’s family and close friends gave comments after his death, showing some insight into the lives of Hackman and Arakawa. Daniel and Barbara Lenihan, a married couple that had been friends with Hackman and Arakawa, and their son Aaron, told People how Hackman’s health had started declining recently, stating how over the “last couple of months, [Hackman] was really slipping there.”

“In recent times, [Hackman was] essentially kind of homebound,” Daniel Lenihan said, with Barbara Lenihan adding that about a year ago Hackman “quit riding his bike through the neighborhood.”

“Betsy tried to keep him kind of active and engaged,” Aaron said while adding that Hackman would play puzzles and do Zoom yoga sessions to stay active. “[Betsy] was still trying to keep him as active and engaged and healthy as possible,” Aaron said.

As for Arakawa, Barbara told People that “Betsy was in perfect health” and “was so fit.” Aaron said Betsy was always careful around Hackman, sharing that “she was very protective of him in terms of COVID, so she’d always wear a mask when we’d see her out.” 

One of Hackman’s most iconic roles was as the DC villain Lex Luthor in 1978’s Superman. Hackman would reprise the role in 1980’s Superman II and later return for 1987’s Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, making him one of the most recognizable faces in the Superman franchise alongside Christopher Reeve’s iconic portrayal of the Man of Steel. His other notable films include Hoosiers, The French Connection, and Unforgiven, with the latter two earning him two Academy Awards for Best Actor.