Sports
The death of Betsy Arakawa, wife of Hollywood icon Gene Hackman, has taken a deeply disturbing turn as official documents reveal a rat infestation at the couple’s $4 million New Mexico estate.
New findings show that Betsy, a healthy 65-year-old classical pianist, was fatally exposed to hantavirus, a deadly pathogen often spread by rodent droppings.
Gene Hackman’s last time seen before his death: A look back at his final moments – VIDEO
Inspections by the New Mexico Department of Public Health revealed the grim conditions the couple lived under. Officials found a widespread rat infestation on the property, uncovering living and dead rats, rat nests, droppings, and rat traps spread across multiple structures on the estate.
Notably, the infestation was detected in eight outbuildings and two vehicles, but curiously, not inside the main residence itself.
According to sources familiar with the case, there was evidence that someone had been trying to manage the problem.
“It’s terribly tragic because it shows that they didn’t go far enough in combating it,” one source told RadarOnline.com. “It also means their deaths probably were preventable had the right measures been taken.”
Hackman’s failing health may have left the couple vulnerable
Hackman, who passed away six days after his wife, was 95 at the time and reportedly battling severe heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and kidney problems. Insiders believe his declining health rendered him incapable of addressing the rat problem or seeking timely help for Betsy.
Medical examiners confirmed that Betsy died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare but often fatal illness that attacks the lungs and is primarily contracted through rodent urine, droppings, or saliva.
The Department of Health described the property as a “breeding ground” for the virus, making it an exceptionally dangerous environment for anyone residing there.
Adding to the heartbreaking timeline, reports noted that in the days leading up to her death, Arakawa was researching COVID-19 symptoms. Concerned about Gene‘s well-being, she administered a COVID test to him, but it came back negative. There is no indication, however, that she recognized the more insidious threat already present around them.
The tragedy became even more poignant with details about Hackman‘s final days. Authorities found his heart medication scattered on a counter, and his body was severely dehydrated with no food in his stomach, suggesting that he had been physically incapable of caring for himself after Betsy‘s passing.
Meanwhile, eerie footage captured by Santa Fe sheriff’s deputies responding to a welfare check painted a haunting scene. Through a window, a dog could be heard barking frantically, one of two dogs that somehow survived the ordeal.
A visibly shaken estate caretaker, present during the initial investigation, fought back tears when speaking about Betsy, telling deputies: “She was a sweetheart.”
This news was originally published on this post .
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