Saddening new surveillance

Surveillance footage has helped establish a timeline of Betsy Arakawa’s final movements before her death. On February 11, the 65-year-old wife of actor Gene Hackman was seen at Sprouts Farmers Market and Shine Pet Food Co. in Santa Fe, buying groceries and pet supplies. She wore a black coat, jeans, and a face mask. This occurred a day after she reportedly searched online about COVID-related dizziness. While authorities initially believed she died on February 11, new information revealed she called Cloudberry Health on February 12 to schedule a medical appointment for her husband and one for herself. However, she never showed up to the clinic and did not answer a return call later that day.

Santa Fe authorities later confirmed her cause of death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease linked to rodents. Dr. Josiah Child of Cloudberry Health stated that her scheduled appointment was unrelated to respiratory issues. Cell phone data confirmed three calls made to the clinic on the morning of February 12 and a missed call from the clinic that afternoon. The couple’s bodies, along with their dog Zinna’s, were found on February 26. Gene Hackman’s death was attributed to cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s complications.