Officials reveal Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy made worrying internet searches days before her death

Officials have revealed the worrying internet searches Betsy Arakawa made in the days before her death.

The pianist, 65, and her husband, Gene Hackman, were both found dead in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on 26 February. Investigations later found that she had died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome around 12 February, roughly a week before the actor.

Suffering from Alzheimer’s disease - a contributing factor in his death - it is said Hackman, 95, possibly did not know his wife had died before he passed as a result of cardiovascular disease.

Yesterday (15 April) authorities released a lengthy investigation, detailing some of the final internet searches, emails and phone calls made by Arakawa.

Actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in February (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

Arakawa appeared to be looking into information on flu-like symptoms and breathing techniques, the Associated Press reports.

A review of her computer found she was actively searching up medical conditions related to Covid-19 and flu-like symptoms between 8 February and the morning of 12 February.

This including asking questions about if Covid could cause dizziness or nosebleeds.

On 11 February, Arakawa emailed her masseuse to say Hackman had woken up with flu or cold-like symptoms but had tested negative for Covid. ‘Out of an abundance of caution’, she asked if she could reschedule her appointment for the following day.

Then the next morning, she had searched for a local concierge medical service which she had a call with that lasted less than two minutes. There was then a missed return call later that afternoon.

Betsy Arakawa had been researching flu-like symptoms (Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which a post-mortem determined as Arakawa’s cause of death, is a rare disease typically spread to humans through infected urine, droppings or saliva of certain species of mice and rats.

Dr Heather Jarrell, chief medical examiner for New Mexico, previously told press that the mortality of the hantavirus strain in the south west of the United States is about 38 percent to 50 percent.

The rodent-borne disease can lead to a range of symptoms including flu-like illness, headaches, dizziness and severe respiratory distress. Therefore, it could often be mistaken at first for a flu or Covid due to the similarities in signs.

It was also reported by the New Mexico medical investigator’s office that there were signs of a rodent infestation at Hackman and Arakawa’s estate.

A live rodent, a dead rodent and a nest were found in the three detached garages on the property with droppings and live traps also discovered.