The “Unforgiven” actor and his wife passed away just a week apart, both due to natural causes. Their friends have spoken out about their last contact with them.
Authorities have shed light on the final hours of Betsy Arakawa, the wife of legendary actor Gene Hackman, before her passing. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza detailed her movements on February 11, the day authorities said she died.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa attend a premiere of “The Chamber” at the Academy Theater, Beverly Hills, California, on October 2, 1996 | Source: Getty Images
Mendoza revealed that Arakawa engaged in a routine day that ended with unanswered emails and a lingering mystery. Arakawa’s day began with an email to her massage therapist in the morning, followed by a trip to a grocery store in the afternoon.
Surveillance footage later captured her making a quick stop at CVS Pharmacy. Mendoza noted that she wore a mask in public that day, a habit friends say she followed to protect her husband, who has Alzheimer’s, from illnesses.
Her errands continued with a visit to a pet food store before she returned home around 5:15 p.m. That marked the last known activity from Arakawa, as she did not respond to any emails after that.
Mendoza also shared that two days earlier, on February 9, Arakawa had picked up Zinna, the couple’s dog, from a veterinary procedure, which may explain why the pet was found crated.
Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman during PCC Celebrity Art Show in Beverly Hills, California, on September 11, 1991 | Source: Getty Images
However, apart from what she did, information about what Arakawa failed to do on February 11 has also been shared. Gene Hackman’s wife never picked up the prescription dog food and medication she had ordered for one of her beloved pets from Gruda Veterinary Hospital in southwest Santa Fe.
For years, Arakawa had been a regular at the clinic, always ensuring her three dogs, Zinna, Bear, and Nikita, had everything they needed. When she failed to collect the order, the clinic staff grew concerned.
Gene Hackman with Betsy Arakawa at the United Celebral Palsy of New York City’s 15th annual Champagne Stakes at Etoile restaurant in 2000 | Source: Getty Images
A week later, after February 17, the veterinary office attempted to reach her, leaving reminders that the food was ready for pickup. But there was no response as it was too late by then.
Robert Gruda, the hospital’s owner noted, “She was devoted to those dogs. She was consistent, predictable. We knew something was wrong when she didn’t pick up the food on time.”
Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa spotted at Spago in West Hollywood, California, on September 5, 1988 | Source: Getty Images
When asked whether anyone was assisting with Hackman’s care, Mendoza stated there was no evidence of a caretaker at the residence. Arakawa seems to have been the only one caring for her husband, managing many aspects of his daily routine.
The classical pianist arranged his golf outings, monitored his diet due to his long-standing heart issues, and even diluted his wine with soda water. As a dedicated companion, she also typed and edited his handwritten novels.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa attend the Toyota Pro-Celebrity Race in Long Beach, California, on April 4, 1987 | Source: Getty Images
In his final years, she took on the full weight of caregiving, determined to be by his side until the very end. Sadly, as per authorities, Hackman and Arakawa passed away just a week apart, both from natural causes.
Betsy Arakawa passed away, likely on February 11. Her body was found on the bathroom floor of the home she shared with Hackman. She had succumbed to a rare but deadly rodent-borne illness, hantavirus.
Alone in the house, Hackman, suffering from advanced Alzheimer’s, lived for another week before he passed away due to heart disease on February 18. He collapsed in a mudroom with a cane and sunglasses nearby.
Questions remain about those final days. Did Hackman realize his wife was gone? Was he aware that one of their dogs, 12-year-old Zinna, had also died inside a crate? The details of his last moments remain a mystery.
Gene Hackman at “The Royal Tenenbaums” premiere in Los Angeles in 2001 | Source: Getty Images
Still, a close friend of the couple has shared a reassuring update about Hackman and Arakawa’s two canine babies, offering a small comfort after the couple’s sudden passing.
The two surviving dogs are now safe and adjusting to their new reality, according to the couple’s longtime friend. Unlike Zinna, Bear, a German shepherd, and Nikki, a German shepherd mix, were found alive and investigators said the dogs appeared to have had access to a doggy door.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Hackman attend the Mission Hills Pro-Celebrity Sports Invitational at Rancho Mirage in Los Angeles, California, on November 30, 1991 | Source: Getty Images
One dog was discovered near Arakawa’s body, while the other was found outside the home, Mendoza confirmed. Currently, both surviving dogs are being cared for by Joey Padilla, the owner of Santa Fe Tails, a local boarding facility that the couple frequently used for their pets.
Padilla told ABC News, “They are safe and adjusting.” He also shared that he will continue caring for the dogs until he receives further instructions regarding Arakawa’s wishes for them.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa attend a Hollywood Foreign Press conference at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, California, on November 11, 1992 | Source: Getty Images
Padilla spoke fondly of the late couple, describing them as “amazing friends and dog lovers.” He added, “Those dogs were Betsy’s babies.”
Padilla, who had known Hackman and Arakawa for more than ten years, explained that he used to dine out with them often before the pandemic began. In recent years, however, he saw Hackman less frequently because Arakawa wanted to protect her husband’s health by limiting his contact with others.
Actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa attend Vanity Fair Oscar Party at Morton’s Restaurant in West Hollywood, California, on March 21, 1994 | Source: Getty Images
Padilla recalled the last time he saw Arakawa, which was in January when she brought Bear to Santa Fe Tails. He described their final conversation, “She was the same old, just, you know, ‘Hey, how’s it going, good to see you.'” Reacting to the couple’s deaths, he expressed, “I’m terribly saddened. They were really good people.”
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa at the DW Griffith Awards on February 24, 1992 | Source: Getty Images
Other people who knew the couple, including friends and family, have also spoken out. Hackman and Arakawa had always valued their privacy, but in their later years, they became even more withdrawn.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa at the Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks fight at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on June 27, 1988 | Source: Getty Images
Friends who once visited them regularly noticed that the couple stopped inviting people over, preferring to spend time alone in their Santa Fe home.
A journalist sets up a camera at the entrance to the Santa Fe Summit neighborhood where late actor Gene Hackman lived, on February 28, 2025 | Source: Getty Images
Barbara Lenihan, a longtime friend who co-owned a home décor store with Arakawa, recalled how their social circle grew smaller over time. “People loved to be around them,” she shared. “We used to spend a lot of time at their house, but it’d been a while since they were comfortable having others over.”
Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman attend the 65th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles, California, on March 29, 1993 | Source: Getty Images
Her husband, Daniel Lenihan, a writer and close friend of Hackman’s for over 30 years, admitted it had been “years” since he had last seen him in person. Despite their growing isolation, no one suspected anything was wrong.
Friends believed Hackman and Arakawa were simply enjoying a quiet life together — until their sudden deaths raised questions about what had really been happening behind closed doors.
Gene Hackman posing for a portrait in Los Angeles, California, in 1996 | Source: Getty Images
Although the couple had distanced themselves from most social interactions, Arakawa still kept in touch with a few people. One of them was her longtime friend Barbara, who had exchanged emails with her in the weeks leading up to her death.
Nothing in their conversations suggested anything was wrong, and Arakawa gave no indication that she was in distress. Hackman’s youngest daughter, Leslie Anne Allen, also shared that she had not spoken to her father or his wife for a few months.
Leslie and Gene Hackman at the “Class Action” premiere in Century City, California, on March 13, 1991 | Source: Getty Images
“We were close,” she said, adding that despite their lack of recent communication, “everything was normal, and everything was good.” She credited Arakawa with taking care of her father and making sure he remained in good health. However, one person in Arakawa’s life had noticed an unusual silence.
For years, Arakawa had always made it a point to check in with her 91-year-old mother, Yoshie Feaster, who lives in Hawaii every one or two months. But according to Feaster’s longtime housekeeper, Keiko, the calls had stopped abruptly in October 2024.
“We were thinking, what happened?” Keiko shared, explaining that they had started to worry when months passed without a word from Arakawa. When New Mexico authorities informed Feaster of her daughter’s passing, the tragic news didn’t fully register.
Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman attend the PCC Celebrity Art Show benefit in Beverly Hills, California, on September 11, 1991 | Source: Getty Images
Due to her dementia, Feaster soon forgot what had happened. “She was very upset,” Keiko said. “But right now, she’s kind of normal.” With Arakawa’s silence going unnoticed for months and no immediate alarms raised by friends or family, the first signs of trouble became clear when a worker arrived at the couple’s home.
On February 26, 2025, a maintenance worker arrived at the Hackman and Arakawa’s home outside Santa Fe, New Mexico. As he approached, he noticed something alarming. Arakawa’s body was visible through a window, completely still. Immediately, he called 911.
The emotional 911 call captured the worker’s distress as he urged authorities to respond quickly. “Damn,” he muttered repeatedly, clearly shaken by what he had seen. He also noted that the house was locked, so he couldn’t get in.
Deputies arrived at the scene around 1:45 p.m. and found the front door unsecured and slightly open. As they stepped inside, what they discovered led to an in-depth investigation that finally ended with the authorities revealing the cause and circumstances surrounding their death.
