Gene Hackman reportedly died after fasting for an extended period of time.
According to a final autopsy conducted by the Office of the Medical Investigator in New Mexico and obtained by Fox News on Sunday, April 27, the actor died with “trace amounts” of acetone in his system. The report allegedly detailed that acetone, a colorless solvent found in nail polish and paint remover, per MedicalNewsToday, is also “a product of diabetic- and fasting-induced ketoacidosis as well as a metabolite following isopropanol ingestion.”
Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died at the respective ages of 95 and 64. They were found dead inside their shared Santa Fe, New Mexico house on February 26, as confirmed by Us Weekly at the time.
Fox News noted that the final autopsy’s toxicology test showed acetone levels “at 5.3 mg/dl, where as reported normal endogenous acetone levels in blood are up to 0.3 mg/dL.” The outlet added that this level is consistent “with a prolonged level of fasting.”
The autopsy also allegedly noted that Hackman had a “history of congestive heart failure” and “severe chronic hypertensive changes, kidneys.” A “bi-ventricular” pacemaker was placed in April 2019 and the autopsy also nodded to “neurodegenerative features consistent with Alzheimer’s Disease.”
Hackman and Arakawa’s causes of death were revealed during a March 7 press conference where Dr. Heather Jarrell, Chief Medical Examiner for New Mexico at the office of the Medical Investigator, revealed details of her team’s findings.
Hackman died due to hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor, with Jarrell adding that authorities believed he died on February 18.
“The cause of death for Mrs. Hackman is hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The cause of death is natural,” Dr. Jarrell said at the press conference. Officials believe she died in the evening on February 11.
Representatives from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement shared with Us on February 27 that deputies were dispatched to an address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park one day prior. A dog was also found deceased.
After news of the couple’s death broke, the pair were mourned by their loved ones in a statement to Us. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy,” noted Hackman’s daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, and granddaughter Annie. “He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
Elizabeth previously told TMZ that their family suspected Hackman and Arakawa died from carbon monoxide poisoning. (Hackman shared Elizabeth, Leslie and son Christopher with ex-wife Faye Maltese, who died in 2017. The Oscar winner tied the knot with Arakawa in 1991.)
Amid Elizabeth’s speculation, Santa Fe County sheriff Adan Mendoza released a statement that a “preliminary” investigation was underway and the department was “waiting on approval of a search warrant.” After obtaining a warrant on Thursday, authorities reportedly called the circumstances “suspicious,” in a copy obtained by TMZ at the time.
A detective wrote in the affidavit: “The death of the two deceased individuals to be suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation because the reporting party found the front door of the residence unsecured and opened, deputies observed a healthy dog running loose on the property, another healthy dog near the deceased female, a deceased dog laying 10-15 feet from the deceased female in a closet of the bathroom, the heater being moved, the pill bottle being opened and pills scattered next to the female, the male decedent being located in a separate room of the residence, and no obvious signs of a gas leak.”
The docs reportedly indicated that Arakawa was found lying unconscious next to a space heater and was in an alleged “state of decomposition with bloating in her face and mummification in her hands and feet.” TMZ reported that Hackman was in a separate room, fully clothed with sunglasses next to him, with some suspicion that he fell.
