A Santa Fe doctor has claimed that Gene Hackman's wife, Betsy Arakawa, called his private clinic 24 hours after authorities said she’d passed.
The actor lost his life due to heart disease, with Alzheimer's being "a significant contributing factor.” New Mexico's chief medical examiner stated that the former pianist passed away a week prior, on February 11, from hantavirus, a rat-borne respiratory disease.
Highlights
- A doctor claimed Betsy Arakawa called him after her reported passing date.
- Betsy had allegedly planned a medical appointment unrelated to respiratory issues.
- Authorities said the pianist passed away from hantavirus on February 12, one week before Gene Hackman.
However, a Santa Fe doctor now claims he received a call from Betsy on February 12.
Image credits: Frank Trapper/Corbis
Dr. Josiah Child, who now runs Cloudberry Health in Santa Fe, New Mexico, told The Daily Mail: "Mrs. Hackman didn't d*e on February 11 because she called my clinic on February 12.
"She'd called me a couple of weeks before her d**th to ask about getting an echocardiogram [heart scan] for her husband," he said.
"She was not a patient of mine, but one of my patients recommended Cloudberry to her.
"She made an appointment for herself for February 12. It was for something unrelated to anything respiratory."
Betsy allegedly canceled her appointment, saying her husband was feeling unwell.
Image credits: Mirrorpix
"She called back on the morning of February 12 and spoke to one of our doctors, who told her to come in that afternoon.
Dr. Child added: "We made her an appointment, but she never showed up. She did not show any symptoms of respiratory distress. The appointment wasn't for anything related to hantavirus. We tried calling her a couple of times with no reply."
The doctor also said he found it "surprising" that Betsy "didn't appear in respiratory distress" when she spoke to his office.
Betsy had allegedly made an appointment unrelated to respiratory issues, but she later called to cancel it
Image credits: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection
"Respiratory failure is not sudden – it is something that worsens over several days," he shared, though he added that he was not a hantavirus expert," he said.
"It's exceedingly rare for a seemingly healthy 65-year-old to drop de*d of it. In fact, no one's heard of such a thing."
Image credits: BACKGRID
Hantavirus is transmitted to humans via rodent urine, saliva, and droppings.
Erin Phipps, a veterinarian with the New Mexico Health Department, said investigators found signs of "rodent entry" in outlying structures on the property, though the assessed risk in the main house was deemed "low," as per People.
The veterinarian noted that hantavirus cases are relatively rare, but are fatal in up to 42% of cases in New Mexico.
Gene and Betsy were found lifeless in their Santa Fe home on February 26 in advanced states of decomposition.
Authorities said the pianist passed away from hantavirus, a rat-borne respiratory disease
Image credits: Purschke/ullstein bild
Betsy was found on the bathroom floor. She was reportedly last seen "running around" Santa Fe on February 11, visiting a chemist, a supermarket, and a pet food store.
Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza said her last outward communication, via email, appeared to have occurred on the same day.
The Oscar-winning actor was found in a mud room with his glasses and cane on the floor beside him.
His peacemaker's last registered activity was on February 18, with the device noting an "abnormal rhythm of atrial fibrillation." A post-mortem examination found no food in his stomach.
Image credits: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection
He passed away from hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Alzheimer's disease was mentioned as a significant contributing factor.
Investigators believe the neurodegenerative disease meant he may have been unaware of his wife's passing.
Investigators found signs of rodent entry at the Santa Fe property
Image credits: SW German Shepherd Rescue
Zinna, one of the couple's three dogs, was found deceased inside a crate a few feet away from Betsy. According to investigators, the pet had been locked in the crate after undergoing a medical procedure, and there was no food in its stomach.
Police are waiting for mobile phone data to determine whether the French Connection actor had called anyone in the days following his wife's passing.
Gene and Betsy were found lifeless in their home on February 26
Image credits: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection
Gene's daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, and his granddaughter, Annie, paid tribute to the star in a joint statement.
"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman, and his wife, Betsy," they said.
"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."
Some netizens were confused by the doctor's claims, while others expressed skepticism
