In a twist that has sent shockwaves through Hollywood and beyond, officials have amended legendary actor Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa’s time of passing after new evidence came to light from a local doctor.
This revelation has implications not only for the investigation but also for the handling of the late couple’s substantial fortune.
Highlights
- Gene Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa's passing time has changed with new evidence.
- Dr. Josiah Child said Betsy Arakawa called his clinic a day after she was presumed deceased.
- Betsy Arakawa’s time of passing could determine the fate of Gene Hackman’s fortune.
Legendary actor Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa’s time of passing was amended
Image credits: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images
Betsy Arakawa, who was found deceased alongside her celebrated actor husband in their New Mexico residence last month, is now believed to have passed away under different circumstances than previously thought with her time of passing amended.
The couple, married for 24 years, were both discovered in their home, leading to an intense and high-profile investigation into their mysterious passing.
Betsy Arakawa was thought to have passed on February 11
Image credits: BACKGRID
Initially, the New Mexico Medical Investigator’s Office, through Dr. Heather Jarrell, declared that Gene Hackman succumbed to severe heart disease worsened by Alzheimer's.
The actor's passing was presumed to have occurred when his pacemaker stopped recording cardiac activity on February 18. Simultaneously, Betsy Arakawa was thought to have passed a week earlier on February 11, with the cause being hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, as confirmed by the autopsy findings.
Dr. Josiah Child said Betsy Arakawa called his clinic a day after she was presumed deceased
Image credits: Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham
However, this timeline was called into question after Dr. Josiah Child of Cloudberry Health in Santa Fe disclosed that Arakawa had contacted his clinic on February 12, suggesting she was alive a day after the date she was previously thought to have passed.
"She'd called me a couple of weeks before her de-th to ask about getting an echocardiogram for her husband," Dr. Child told the Daily Mail on Sunday, noting that it was not related to any respiratory issues, which are common symptoms of hantavirus.
The new evidence significantly changed the course of the investigation
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This claim has significantly changed the course of the investigation. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed through cell phone records that Arakawa indeed made calls to Cloudberry Health on the morning of February 12.
“A total of three calls were made that morning, all to the medical centre. One incoming call was made to Mrs. Hackman from the same medical centre that afternoon, which appeared as a missed call on Mrs. Hackman’s cell phone,” the sheriff's office stated, highlighting the need for a revised look at the timeline.
Arakawa’s last known activities include a visit to a pharmacy
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Adding to the complexity, the sheriff's office relayed that Arakawa’s last known public activities occurred on February 9, including a visit to a pharmacy where she was spotted on CCTV.
These findings challenge the initial conclusions drawn about her passing and have stirred speculations about the circumstances leading up to the couple's demise.
Betsy Arakawa’s time of passing could determine the fate of Gene Hackman’s $80 million fortune
Image credits: Noticias Telemundo
As the community reels from these developments, questions also loom over the fate of Gene Hackman's fortune. Valued at $80 million and originally left to his wife, the estate’s direction could shift dramatically depending on the final determination of Arakawa’s actual time of passing.
Legal experts have noted that if Arakawa predeceased Hackman, the estate would likely move to probate, opening the door for potential claims.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza emphasized the ongoing nature of the investigation, stating, “We are awaiting further evidence to fully understand the sequence of events leading up to the tragic de-ths of Mr. and Mrs. Hackman.”
Online users commented on the new evidence's role in the investigation
