Betsy Hackman Died of Hantavirus Week Before Gene Hackman Passed from Heart Failure

The Santa Fe medical examiner confirmed that Betsy Hackman succumbed to hantavirus on February 11. This rare respiratory illness preceded her husband Gene Hackman’s death by a week. He passed away from heart failure and Alzheimer’s disease.

Authorities revealed the couple was found deceased in their Santa Fe home on February 26. Maintenance workers discovered their bodies after not hearing from them for over two weeks. The tragic sequence of events stunned their quiet community.

Betsy’s death stemmed from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. This severe condition is transmitted through rodent droppings or saliva. Officials noted signs of rodent activity on the couple’s property as a likely source of exposure.

Gene Hackman’s autopsy showed advanced Alzheimer’s and significant heart disease. Medical examiner Heather Jarrell stated he likely died around February 18 based on pacemaker data. His poor health left him vulnerable after Betsy’s passing.

Experts say hantavirus is rare but deadly in the Southwest with a 38 to 50 percent mortality rate. It begins with flu-like symptoms before rapidly progressing to respiratory failure. Betsy’s sudden collapse reflects this dangerous pattern.

Jarrell suggested Gene may not have realized Betsy had died due to his Alzheimer’s. He was found in a mudroom with no food in his stomach indicating he hadn’t eaten recently. This paints a grim picture of his final days alone.

The couple’s private life in Santa Fe had been marked by Betsy’s care for Gene’s declining health. Her death left him without support in a vulnerable state. Neighbors described them as kind but reserved rarely seen in recent years.

One of their three dogs was found dead near Betsy possibly from starvation. Two others survived roaming freely on the property. The investigation remains open pending cellphone data and the dog’s necropsy results to clarify the timeline.