Police released a series of handwritten letters that Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, wrote to each other.
The undated notes, found scattered throughout the reclusive couple’s home, offer a glimpse into the final years of their relationship.
The couple were found lifeless in their Santa Fe home on February 26. The actor passed away from heart disease with complications from Alzheimer’s disease about a week after the pianist succumbed to hantavirus.
In one of the notes, the 95-year-old apologized to his wife for asking her to help prepare her own birthday dinner.
“Good morning,” the note began. “Happy several days after your birthday. Sorry still about the dinner and having to ask for your help, although it was appreciated.”
Gene signed the note: “Love you and the guys, G.”
Police have released photos of handwritten notes exchanged between Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa in the years before their passing
Image credits: Ron Galella, Ltd./Getty Images
In another, more playful letter, the Oscar winner seemingly revealed that he was aware of his deteriorating health.
“I’m going down to that building out past the hot water place where you sit, and do whatever it is that people are supposed to do in such a building—maybe I’ll remember once I get down there.”
Instead of his usual “Love, G,” he signed the note: “Love, what’s his name.”
Part of the released footage includes an email in which Betsy said Gene had “flu-like symptoms”
A separate letter revealed Gene had written about being “barely alive.”
He wrote: “Ho, Ho, I am off to see the Wizard, the Wizz of Achie, Pokie. She stabs me here and stabs me there, she stabs me almost everywhere (almost).
“But I survive because after (sic) I am still alive. (But sometimes just barely). Love, G.”
The Unforgiven star also left a romantic message to his wife, writing, “Morning lovely girl, thinking of you and the other little guys. Love G.”
The undated notes were found scattered throughout the couple’s New Mexico home
The notes revealed that Betsy left jigsaw puzzles for her husband to complete.
In one letter, the musician penned, “Hi G! Taking Zin to obedience class & the vet appt. See you back at home! There is a jigsaw puzzle on the table. xo B.”
Police photos taken in the home show a collection of large completed puzzles piled on top of a table.
She also left notes around the house detailing her daily activities. One of them stated that she had a yoga class at 12:30.
“I am still alive. (But sometimes just barely). Love, G,” reads one of the letters
Betsy informed her husband in another letter about a “water leak” in their home and mentioned someone coming to “fix” it, but a water stain has rendered most of the note illegible.
Gene and Betsy met in the 1980s while she was working part-time at a gym in California.
In 1991, the couple tied the knot after seven years of dating.
Gene was previously married to Faye Maltese, with whom he had three children: Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie.
The 95-year-old actor signed another note: “Love, what’s his name”
It’s believed Betsy took on the role of sole caregiver as her husband endured the debilitating effects of Alzheimer’s.
Tom Allin, a longtime friend of Gene’s, said Betsy “was very protective” of the actor. She would set up games with his friends, look after his diet, and dilute his wine with soda water.
Tom recalled his friend saying he would’ve been unable to survive “long ago” without Betsy.
The letters reveal Betsy would leave jigsaw puzzles for her husband to complete
He shared the moment he knew Gene’s health was declining. As he told the New York Times, the couple had a tradition where he would cook dinner each year for Betsy’s birthday.
In 2023, the musician came home expecting a meal, but Gene had forgotten their ritual.
The photos of the letters were part of documents related to the investigation into the couple’s passing that police released on Tuesday (April 15).
These documents were initially sealed by a temporary court order to protect the Hackman family’s privacy. However, they were later released after a court ruled that most of them constituted public record.
In one of the letters, Gene apologized to Betsy for asking her to help cook her birthday dinner
Image credits: Santa Fe Police Department
Body cam footage showed that one of the couple’s dogs, a German Shepherd, was guarding Betsy’s body when officials arrived at the property.
The pianist was found in the bathroom close to scattered thyroid medication pills, which were found to be unrelated to her passing. Gene’s body was discovered in the mudroom.
Zinna, one of their dogs, was found lifeless inside a crate.
Body cam footage showed one of their dogs was guarding Betsy’s body when police arrived
Betsy passed away from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a flu-like virus contracted via exposure to rodent droppings, urine, and saliva.
HPS is a severe and potentially fatal disease that affects the lungs. According to the CDC, early symptoms can include fatigue, fever, dizziness, headaches, and muscle aches.
Four to ten days after the initial phase of the illness, respiratory symptoms appear, which include coughing and shortness of breath.
HPS is fatal in 38% of people who develop respiratory symptoms.
Betsy and Gene met at a gym in California and married in 1991
In her final days, Betsy seemingly mistook her HPS symptoms with COVID-19 symptoms. Analyzing her internet search history, investigators found that she had searched, “Can COVID cause dizziness?”
On February 10, she also searched for “flu and nosebleeds” and “COVID nosebleeds.”
Investigators reported that her research history showed “multiple searches related to flu and COVID symptoms.”
Additionally, she sent an email to her massage therapist, sharing that Gene had taken a “covid test,” which came back negative, after experiencing “flu/cold-like symptoms.”
People were moved by the couple’s letters to each other
