Autopsies have finally revealed how Hackman and Arakawa died, solving the mystery that hung over them after their corpses were discovered at home last week.
Gene Hackman's wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rare rodent-borne disease. A medical expert suggests her death might have been preventable if the disease had been diagnosed earlier, as it often resembles the flu. Arakawa may have contracted the virus while cleaning their garage, and her husband, Gene Hackman, who suffered from Alzheimer's, may not have been aware of her death. He later died from heart disease.