Hackman’s Death Mystery Deepens After Call From ‘Dead Wife’

Gene Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa's, 65, wills have been revealed a month after their deaths; the duo seen in 2003

The mystery surrounding Gene Hackman’s death has taken another bizarre turn. A Santa Fe doctor now claims that Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, called his clinic the day after police say she died.

Hackman’s death mystery: Doctor’s Bombshell Raises New Questions

Dr. Josiah Child, who runs Cloudberry Health in New Mexico, told the Daily Mail that Arakawa contacted his clinic on February 12—one day after the medical examiner ruled her death as February 11.

“Mrs. Hackman didn’t die on February 11 because she called my clinic on February 12,” Child stated.

According to the doctor, Arakawa had scheduled an appointment for that day, but the visit was unrelated to any respiratory issues.

Contradictions in Official Reports

The Santa Fe medical examiner’s report states that Arakawa died on February 11 from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare rat-borne respiratory disease.

Chief Medical Investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell confirmed that Arakawa had an email exchange on the morning of February 11 before running errands at a grocery store, pharmacy, and pet store.

Garage records show she returned home at 5:15 p.m. That was the last confirmed activity before she was found dead.

Yet Dr. Child insists she was alive the next morning.

“She called back on the morning of February 12 and spoke to one of our doctors. We scheduled an appointment for that afternoon, but she never showed up,” he revealed.

Gene Hackman’s Final Days Add to the Mystery

Hackman, 93 at the time of his death, reportedly suffered from hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

His pacemaker recorded activity until February 18, detecting an abnormal rhythm of atrial fibrillation.

A post-mortem revealed no food in his stomach, raising concerns about how long he had been deceased before authorities arrived.

Even Their Dog’s Death Sparks Suspicion

Adding to the Hackman’s death mystery, a necropsy report revealed that one of the couple’s three dogs died of starvation and dehydration while locked in a crate recovering from surgery.

With so many conflicting reports, new questions arise. How could Arakawa have made a call after she was declared dead? Why did Hackman’s pacemaker record activity days after his reported death? And why was their pet left to starve?

Authorities have yet to provide answers, but Hackman’s death mystery is far from over.

Herbert Bauernebel

Herbert Bauernebel has been reporting from New York since 1999 and currently works for Bild.de, OE24 TV, and US Live. He also runs the news portal AmerikaReport.de. Bauernebel has covered nearly all major US events of the past quarter-century, including 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, Barack Obama’s election, Donald Trump’s surprise victory, the pandemic, last year’s election showdown, as well as natural disasters such as hurricanes and oil spills. He has also reported firsthand on international events, including the Asian tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the Fukushima disaster. He lives in Brooklyn with his family and holds degrees in communication and political science from the University of Vienna. Bauernebel is the author of a book about his experiences on 9/11, And the Air Was Full of Ash: 9/11 – The Day That Changed My Life.