Did Gene Hackman’s wife die of a broken heart? New theory emerges amid mystery over couple’s bizarre deaths

The mystery behind the twin deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa has barely abated in recent days while law enforcement waits for autopsy and toxicology report results.

Hackman, who was 95, and Arakawa, 65, were discovered in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, by a neighborhood security officer after pest-control workers reported not being able to get in touch with the residents.

Authorities investigating the deaths have already said a deadly carbon monoxide leak is unlikely, but now an expert who is not involved in the investigation is weighing in on another theory — that Hackman’s wife Betsy might have died of a ‘broken heart.’

James Gill, Chief Medical Examiner for the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, explained to People the possibility that Arakawa might have discovered her husband dead and suffered her own medical emergency as a result.

Gill previously considered another possibility for the publication, that Hackman and Arakawa may have died by ‘companion suicide,’ which he found to be unlikely.

The medical examiner said he believes, based on the available information, that the actor and his wife may have died from natural causes, which would increase the likelihood of a the ‘broken heart’ theory. 

The twin deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsey Arakawa have raised a startling new theory — that the classical pianist may have died after her husband from a ‘broken heart’; pictured together in 1986 in Los Angeles

But an expert not involved in the investigation explained the possibility that Arakawa may have discovered Hackman dead first and then suffered a medical emergency herself, according to People; the late couple’s home is pictured on Feb. 27 in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Gill said that the description of how Hackman’s body was found suggests that he may have collapsed.

‘He’s got a history of heart disease. He’s got a pacemaker. So that would not be unusual. But the unusual part is that why then did she also collapse?’ Gill said.

He assumed that she found her husband on the ground, continuing: ‘Then you start wondering about: There is this thing where the stress of seeing someone die that could have triggered a natural death in her.’

Police have said that Hackman was found dead in the house’s mud room, with his can and sunglasses near him on the ground, while Arakawa was discovered lying on the bathroom floor with prescription pills strewn across the nearby countertop.

The two are believed to have been dead for several days before they were found, and both bodies had signs of decomposition and were partially mummified.

According to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, Hackman’s pacemaker was last registered as working on February 17, nine days before the bodies were discovered, which could potentially indicate the day he died.

Gill added that the circumstances that the bodies were found in could also supported an equally likely theory.

Rather than Hackman dying or suffering a medical emergency first, Arakawa could have first collapsed before Hackman ‘found her and was going out to get help or get his phone, and he then collapsed from the stress of that, too. Just as likely.’

James Gill, Chief Medical Examiner for the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, considered the possibility that the ‘stress of seeing [Hackman] die that could have triggered a natural death’ for Arakwa; pictured together in 2003 in Beverly Hills

But he added it was ‘just as likely’ that Arakawa might have collapsed first, and then Hackman could have had a medical emergency as he tried to get her help due to his advanced age and ‘known heart disease’

Gill added that Hackman was three decades Arakawa’s senior and had ‘known heart disease,’ which added to the feasibility of that theory. 

‘But the autopsy would certainly show if she had heart disease or cancer or what have you,’ he noted.

According to the medical examiner, either arrangement ‘has been known to happen, kind of a broken heart-type thing, almost.’

‘Suddenly finding your loved one dead on the floor that can increase your adrenaline and that stimulates your heart to beat faster, and that can put your heart into an irregular rhythm,’ Gill explained.