Gene Hackman and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, have been laid to rest almost two months after the couple were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on Feb. 26.
On April 15, TODAY.com confirmed Hackman and Arakawa were buried and a small, private memorial service was held for the pair. Multiple family members, including Hackman’s three children, Christopher Allen Hackman, Leslie Anne Hackman and Elizabeth Jean Hackman, attended the service as well as close friends, according to People. The memorial was held in Santa Fe.
The bodies of the two-time Oscar winner, the musician and one of their three dogs were found by police on Feb. 26 after two maintenance workers arrived at their home and found the front door open, the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office said. Hackman was 95 and Arakawa was 65.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy,” Hackman’s family said in a statement to NBC News at the time. “He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
Authorities investigated to determine the cause of death for the pair, who had been married since 1991.
During a press conference days later, Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed that an autopsy was performed and that both Hackman and Arakawa tested negative for carbon monoxide.
In March, Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief medical investigator for the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, shared in a press conference that Jackman died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Jarrell also said that the late actor’s Alzheimer’s disease significantly contributed to his death.
“He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that is what resulted in his death,” Jarrell said.
Jarrell added that Arakawa’s cause of death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare infectious disease caused by hantavirus, which is primarily spread by rodents.
Their dog likely died from dehydration or starvation, officials reported.
Authorities determined that the pianist died around Feb. 11 based on her final emails and text communications. After examining Hackman’s body, they shared that he is believed to have died around Feb. 18.
