Health
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Hantavirus Kills Gene Hackman's Wife: Rodent Infestation Found
## Hantavirus Claims Life of Gene Hackman's Wife; Rodent Infestation Found on Property
Santa Fe, NM – Betsy Arakawa, wife of late actor Gene Hackman, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rare disease contracted through exposure to rodent droppings, according to New Mexico health officials. Arakawa, 65, passed away around February 12, 2025, while Hackman, 95, died from unrelated causes—advanced Alzheimer's disease, high blood pressure, and severe heart disease—around February 17.
A subsequent environmental assessment conducted by the New Mexico Department of Public Health in March revealed a significant rodent infestation on the couple's Santa Fe property. The assessment, obtained by multiple news outlets, detailed the presence of dead rodents and nests across eight detached outbuildings. Rodent feces were discovered in three garages, two casitas, and three sheds. One garage contained a live rodent, a dead rodent, and a rodent nest. Two vehicles on the property also showed signs of rodent activity, including nests and droppings. Live traps found in the outbuildings suggest a prolonged infestation. Importantly, the main residence was deemed low-risk, showing no signs of rodent activity.
The risk assessment was conducted on March 5 to ensure the safety of first responders and family members who had been on the property. Arakawa's death has raised concerns about hantavirus, a disease with a 41% fatality rate in New Mexico, the state with the highest number of reported cases nationally. Since Arakawa’s passing, three additional hantavirus deaths have been reported in Mammoth Lakes, California, prompting concerns about a potential outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises avoiding contact with rodents and wearing protection when cleaning areas where rodents may have been present. There is currently no specific treatment for hantavirus; symptoms, initially flu-like, can take up to two months to appear.
Santa Fe, NM – Betsy Arakawa, wife of late actor Gene Hackman, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rare disease contracted through exposure to rodent droppings, according to New Mexico health officials. Arakawa, 65, passed away around February 12, 2025, while Hackman, 95, died from unrelated causes—advanced Alzheimer's disease, high blood pressure, and severe heart disease—around February 17.
A subsequent environmental assessment conducted by the New Mexico Department of Public Health in March revealed a significant rodent infestation on the couple's Santa Fe property. The assessment, obtained by multiple news outlets, detailed the presence of dead rodents and nests across eight detached outbuildings. Rodent feces were discovered in three garages, two casitas, and three sheds. One garage contained a live rodent, a dead rodent, and a rodent nest. Two vehicles on the property also showed signs of rodent activity, including nests and droppings. Live traps found in the outbuildings suggest a prolonged infestation. Importantly, the main residence was deemed low-risk, showing no signs of rodent activity.
The risk assessment was conducted on March 5 to ensure the safety of first responders and family members who had been on the property. Arakawa's death has raised concerns about hantavirus, a disease with a 41% fatality rate in New Mexico, the state with the highest number of reported cases nationally. Since Arakawa’s passing, three additional hantavirus deaths have been reported in Mammoth Lakes, California, prompting concerns about a potential outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises avoiding contact with rodents and wearing protection when cleaning areas where rodents may have been present. There is currently no specific treatment for hantavirus; symptoms, initially flu-like, can take up to two months to appear.
