Gene Hackman death: Property showed signs of rodent infestation
New Mexico Department of Public Health records have shown that the property owned by the late Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa contained dead rodents and rodent nests.
The records, obtained by CNN, relate to eight detached outbuildings on the property in Santa Fe after a report was conducted in March which took place a week after the couple were discovered dead in their home.
It had previously been revealed that Arakawa died due to contracting hantavirus pulmonary syndrome which is typically contracted when humans come into contact with rodents, rodent faeces, saliva and urine.
Meanwhile, the autopsy of Hackman determined that he had passed away due to hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and an ongoing struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. He is believed to have died more than a week after Arakawa, who also cared for the actor.
The new report established that rodent faeces were discovered in three garages on the property, two casitas, and three sheds. Additionally, a live rodent, a dead rodent, and a rodent nest were found in three detached garages.
CNN also claims the records show the risk of exposure to rodents in the primary residence was low, it showed no signs of rodent activity, and it was clean.
While hantavirus is a very rare disease, it’s also incredibly serious and has a fatality rate of 41 per cent in New Mexico for patients.
The couple were initially found on February 26th at their home in Sante Fe with a police report ruling out any possibility of foul play. During the investigation, it was discovered that Hackman’s pacemaker had been inactive since February 17th, which suggests he’d been dead for nine days before his body was found.
Both of them were discovered by a maintenance worker in two separate areas of the house. Although one of the couple’s dogs was also found deceased on the property, two of their other dogs were found perfectly healthy elsewhere in the house. Hackman’s pacemaker also revealed it had not detected any activity since February 17th, indicating that he had passed away nine days before his body was discovered.
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