Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa’s devastating final Amazon order and Google searches before their deaths have been revealed.
The Hollywood star, 95, and classical pianist, 65, were discovered dead at their New Mexico home on February 26, with carbon monoxide poisoning initially being considered as one of their three dogs was also found dead.
It later emerged that Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare rodent-born disease, on February 12.
Oscar-winner Hackman passed away on February 18 from severe heart disease, exacerbated by Alzheimer's disease and kidney disease. It’s unclear if he knew his partner had died due to his deteriorated condition at the time.
Arakawa ordered oxygen canisters from Amazon on February 11 - just one day before she died. They are intended for “respiratory support”, indicating that she or Hackman had been struggling to breathe.
Her internet searches also showed she was growing increasingly worried about her symptoms, with police finding Google searches for Covid symptoms while searching the couple’s home.
She had specifically searched "can Covid cause dizziness?", as well as "Flu and nosebleeds" in open bookmarks on her laptop dated February 8 and February 12.
Her final search was on the morning of February 12, hours before she died, looking for a healthcare provider in Santa Fe.
In an email to her masseuse, Arakawa had also said Hackman had woken up on February 11 with flu or cold-like symptoms but that a Covid test was negative and she would have to reschedule her appointment for the next day “out of an abundance of caution”.
Earlier this week, police released tragic bodycam footage of officers arriving at the couple’s home and discovering their bodies, as well as one of their dogs sitting beside Arakawa.
Their German Shepherd was seen on the floor next to Arakawa’s body in the bathroom, which looked disorganised and had towels, medication, and clothes strewn around.
One of the officers remarked that the dog seemed “pretty frightened” as another tried to soothe the animal.
They then walked into another room, where another of the couple’s dogs was dead in a crate. It is believed the pooch had been placed there after a veterinary appointment.
The footage then showed the police finding Hackman’s body on the floor near the kitchen.
The couple was discovered after security guards saw their bodies through a window and raised the alarm.
After initial concerns of carbon monoxide poisoning were ruled out, the property was found to be a “breeding ground” for the hantavirus - which is typically spread by inhaling particles from infected rodent droppings and urine.
According to documents viewed by TMZ, dead rodents and their nests were found in “eight detached outbuildings”.
Two cars on the estate had evidence of rodents, and they found traps in the buildings as well, suggesting this had been an ongoing issue for the couple.
