Gene Hackman's house was rat-infested 'breeding ground' for virus that killed wife

The home where Hollywood legend and his wife Betsy Arakawa tragically passed away in February was reportedly infested with rats carrying a lethal disease, it has been revealed. The married couple were found dead along at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on February 26.

Two-time Oscar winner the sheriff of Santa Fe in New Mexico, US, told a press conference last month.

The post-mortem examination showed Ms Arakawa, also known as – a rare but potentially fatal disease which spreads to humans through infected rodent droppings or saliva. A pathologist said Hackman died of heart disease a week after Arakawa died of a rare infectious disease.

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A health assessment carried out by the New Mexico Department of Public Health a week after the bodies were discovered found dead rodents and their nests in 'eight detached outbuildings' on the Hackman property, making it a 'breeding ground' for the deadly hantavirus, according to TMZ.

The lethal hantavirus typically spreads through rodent urine and droppings that one may come into contact with when cleaning a basement or an attic. Droppings were discovered in three garages, two casitas, and three sheds on the property.

According to the American publication, inspectors discovered a live rodent, a dead rodent and a rodent nest in three additional garages on the premises. The health assessment was carried out to ensure the safety of first responders or others who might visit the property from the virus.

The findings indicated that the main residence was classified as 'low-risk', with no evidence of rodent infestation inside. The hantavirus was initially identified in South Korea in 1978 when scientists isolated the virus from a field mouse.

The virus is uncommon in the US, with less than 50 cases reported annually. To put it into perspective, around 2,000 cases of West Nile Virus are reported in the US each year. However, following Ms Arakawa's death, the virus claimed three more lives in Mammoth Lakes, California.

Dr Heather Jarrell, chief medical examiner for New Mexico, told a press conference in Santa Fe in March that it was "reasonable to conclude" that Ms Hackman died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome on February 11 at the couple’s home in Santa Fe.

Hackman died a week later on February 18 of "hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor", the expert said.

Asked whether this meant the actor had been at home with his dead wife for seven days until he passed away himself, the sheriff of Santa Fe County Adan Mendoza replied: "Yes, I would assume that that is the case."

Dr Jarrell said: "Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer’s disease. He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that is what resulted in his in his death."

Hackman’s body was found in a mud room, and his wife was found lying on the floor in a bathroom, detectives previously said. Mr Mendoza said last month that Ms Arakawa picked up their dog Xena, who was later found dead along with the couple, from the veterinary hospital on February 9.

"There was a procedure that was done with the dog, which may explain why the dog was in a crate at the residence," Mr Mendoza told the press conference. Ms Arakawa’s car was seen on CCTV footage at about 4.54pm on February 11, and the remote control clicker that is assigned to her and her vehicle was used to enter the subdivision to gain access to the gated community, the sheriff added.

He said: "At 5.15pm, numerous emails were unopened on her computer on February 11. There was no additional outgoing communication from her or known activity after February 11." Tests on Hackman’s pacemaker previously showed that he was alive on February 17 when a "last event" was recorded, nine days before his body and his wife’s were discovered.

Dr Jarrell told the press conference: "Mr Hackman’s initial pacemaker data revealed cardiac activity on February 17, with subsequent pacemaker interrogation demonstrating an abnormal rhythm of atrial fibrillation on February 18, which was the last record of heart activity.

"Based on this information, it is reasonable to conclude that Mr Hackman probably died around February 18. Based on the circumstances, it is reasonable to conclude that Ms Hackman passed away first with February 11 being the last time that she was known to be alive.

"Lastly, clinically, hantavirus infection is characterised by flu-like symptoms consisting of fever, muscle aches, cough, and sometimes vomiting that can progress to shortness of breath and cardiac or heart failure and lung failure."

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