Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa died "days" apart, according to medical examiners

Heather Jarrell, New Mexico's chief medical examiner, also told reporters on Friday (07.03.25) that Betsy had died as a result of hantavirus - which is a rare flu-like illness carried by infected rodents - and it is believed that she passed away on 11 February.

It is also believed by officials that Hackman died exactly a week later on 18 February, according to cardiac data obtained from his pacemaker.

But the medical examiner explained that because the Hollywood star was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease and "was not aware of his normal daily functioning capability" it is "quite possible" that he was oblivious to his wife's death.

It is almost impossible to know exactly when Arakawa fell ill, but it was noted that once hantavirus manifests itself, death can occur "pretty quickly" afterward.

The cause of death for their dog Zinna is not yet known as autopsy results are pending but Dr Erin Phipps from New Mexico Department of Health noted that canines do not get ill from hantavirus.

Just two days before Arakawa's presumed date of passing, she had collected Zinna from the vets after a medical procedure had been carried out, and emailed her massage therapist before heading out to go shopping around midday.

At around 16.15 that same day, she was spotted on CCTV at a local pharmacy but that was her last known communication.

The couple also had two other dogs, which are now staying at the pet daycare facility in New Mexico but cannot be officially rehomed until wills are read out.

Just days ago, it was revealed that the couple were not likely to have died as a result of gas poisoning.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza of Santa Fe County told reporters pills discovered near Betsy's body were "of concern" - but stressed no conclusions had yet been reached about their role in the pair's passing at that point.

Over the course of his six-decade career, Gene received two BAFTA Awards, four Golden Globes, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and the Silver Bear.

In 1973, he received an Oscar for his role in 'The French Connection' and then received the accolade again in the early 1990s after he starred in 'Unforgiven' alongside Clint Eastwood.

In 1978, he achieved global fame as he took on the role of Lex Luthor in 'Superman', and reprised the part for the sequels that followed in the 1980s.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Gene worked consistently and starred in the likes of 'The Birdcage', 'Absolute Power' and 'Heist' before bowing out of the movie business altogether following his appearance in the 2004 comedy 'Welcome to Mooseport'.

On his retirement, he told Larry King: "The straw that broke the camel's back was actually a stress test that I took in New York. The doctor advised me that my heart wasn't in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress."

Two years later, Gene noted that he would only consider a return to the spotlight if he could do it from his own home..

He told GQ: "If I could do it in my own house, maybe, without them disturbing anything and just one or two people."

Gene's final two appearances came in the form of 'The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima' and 'We, the Marines' in 2016 and 2017, where he provided the narration for both documentaries.