Posted on 04/16/2025 5:07:47 AM PDT by RandFan
Betsy Arakawa, the wife of actor Gene Hackman, searched the internet for information about flu and Covid symptoms and breathing techniques in the days before she died, police records have revealed.
Arakawa asked Google questions including whether Covid could cause dizziness or nosebleeds, according to files released by the Santa Fe Sheriff and reported by the Associated Press, and New York Times.
The 65-year-old pianist died of hantavirus, which can cause flu-like symptoms and develop into a life-threatening lung condition.
Authorities believe she died around 12 February, and her husband, 95, who had Alzheimer's disease, died on 18 February. Their bodies were found on 26 February.
The Sheriff files include details of the police investigation along with photos of the couple's cluttered house in New Mexico, and bodycam footage.
They show that on 10 February, Arakawa searched online for "can Covid cause dizziness?" and "Flu and nosebleeds".
The following day, she emailed her massage therapist to cancel an appointment, saying her husband had woken up with "flu/cold-like symptoms" but had tested negative for Covid.
She also ordered oxygen canisters from Amazon for "respiratory support".
Police have previously said Arakawa made multiple calls to a health clinic on 12 February for medical treatment, which she never received.
She was found to have contracted hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare respiratory illness carried by rodents. Nests and some dead rodents were found in outbuildings of the couple's house.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
Instead of trying to search by guessing what illness she had and whether her symptoms match its symptoms, maybe she should have listed symptoms and searched to see what sort of answers popped up about the possible name for illness.
I don’t know how advanced Hackman’s Alzheimers was, but it would seem that died first and he spent the next six days completely helpless and maybe not even aware the woman in his washroom was his wife or what to do.
Yes a very good point. The police have done a thorough job and it looks like it was just an odd occurrence
Strange and sad to think about, but a lot of people with Alzheimers have terrible short term memory, but retain old memories and abilities. So even if he didn’t recognize her, he must have been really really far into dementia to not consider calling 911 or anyone for help when seeing her there for 9 days.
Something still seems odd here
Poor Gene. Had Alzheimer’s, his wife was dead six days in the house, and he didn’t know it. Or he didn’t know how to make a phone call for help. Or he just wanted to go, too. He must have died from thirst which caused heart failure.
Or gone to see a doctor!
What is odd to me is that people with so much wealth can be so stupid about caring for themselves.
No nursing visits for a 90+ patient? No ‘go to’ list for emergencies??
I agree. If I had a severe flu that didn’t get better after about five days, I’d see a doctor. They had the means to see one any time they liked.
He should have had a staff of four nurses, each working 12 hours/day and 4 on and 4 off.
It is possible the wife tried but Hackman nixed it.
Or call a “concierge” medical service to pay them a house call. They had the money. Most people in that echelon of wealth use concierge medical services.
What is the morbid fascination with these people’s deaths?
Hackman and his wife apparently preferred privacy to the tabloid coverage and clustering about of scheming relatives that would have ensued had his Alzheimer’s diagnosis become known. That being so, they declined to engage a staff of potentially talkative home care nurses even though that would have made good sense. After all, they had made it so far by themselves, so why not wait a little longer? And but for the Hanta virus, Hackman and his wife might still be in their home.
Fame. David Bowie.
Geez, leave them in peace.
I bet he didn’t want people around in any capacity. It is hard to bring strangers into the home even for short daily support. The dementia makes adding nurses difficult for the individual. They just want to exit life their way.
Many wealthy people are frugal.
I can’t stand all the people around, the plumber, etc. I want them to come, takre of the issue and leave el pronto.
I know, but aren’t those in-home care personnel bonded? And with his resources, he could have engaged the people most compliant with his needs and wishes. He could have had the best.
My wife just got over Influenza A.
She was coughing/sick for a solid two plus weeks.
The worst I have seen her sick in our thirty plus years together. It was worse than when she had Covid.
She is 61. So, I can understand how it could become life threatening in someone with a weakened immune system.
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