Gene Hackman dead at 95: Iconic actor and wife, 63, are found dead with their dog at Santa Fe home. #3

[priyaya]

I think it's important to note that if we think Betsy was alive and functioning for a few days, we would have to accept that she never called the vet back or tried to get the meds somehow delivered for her dog In the Kennel.
Those meds weren't made for a dog to take a week after sugery. Most likely pain management (sometimes difficult to get for) or there had been an issue post surgery. I just can't believe betsy would be able to care for Gene or herself.in any way if she couldn't even phone the vet about the.meds.

 

[ClearAhead]

Is it reasonable for a vet to perform routine surgery on a dog without having available the medication to support its recovery when it’s sent home? ie ‘Come back in a couple of days’. This is assuming it wasn’t a sudden emergency situation, in which case the surgery couldn’t be delayed.

I’ve never heard of this in all my decades of pet ownership. It’s as if we’re missing a piece of information.

Requoting: “He said the hospital visit might help explain why the dog was found dead.”

Arakawa had picked up the kelpie mix named Zinna from Gruda Veterinary Hospital on Feb. 9 after a procedure was done, according to the sheriff. He said the hospital visit might help explain why the dog was found dead. A necropsy is being done on Zinna to determine the cause of death, he said.

A timeline of how actor Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa died at their New Mexico home

Authorities have revealed that actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease, and his wife died of hantavirus

abcnews.go.com

 

[priyaya]

Is it reasonable for a vet to perform routine surgery on a dog without having available the medication to support its recovery when it’s sent home? ie ‘Come back in a couple of days’. This is assuming it wasn’t a sudden emergency situation, in which case the surgery couldn’t be delayed.

I’ve never heard of this in all my decades of pet ownership. It’s as if we’re missing a piece of information.

Requoting: “He said the hospital visit might help explain why the dog was found dead.”

So I agree with it being normal to tale a few days for meds. But the surgery was on the 9th so I'm assuming it would have come in around the time she stopped responding. She wouldn't have missed that call willingly.

 

[ClearAhead]

So I agree with it being normal to tale a few days for meds. But the surgery was on the 9th so I'm assuming it would have come in around the time she stopped responding. She wouldn't have missed that call willingly.

Why is it normal to take a few days for meds?

 

[HoneyBunOne]

But we don't know how long that patient had been ill. They were already in hospital.

Again , this article states as fact that Betsy died seven days before Gene. That is NOT a known fact but the irresponsibility of the media reporting has set this in stone.

That is true, however, what sends one person to hospital seeking medical help may not for another. I can imagine that even if Betsy felt unwell enough to go to hospital that she may have decided not to, given her caregiver role and protective nature of her husband. I can see it happening, her thinking "well who's going to look after Gene, not just for a few hours but maybe a few days? Nobody knows how bad his health is, who do we trust enough to do it? I really don't want to pull someone from their lives to take care of him. Who knows the routine of the dogs? Who's going to cook and clean? It's all too much, I'll just rest and recover here at home."

My mention of the patient sitting there one minute and dying the next was more to point out that death can come about quite quickly from this virus. One minute you're well enough to sit on a bed talking (and not be lying there in distress) yet you can die quite quickly from that point. Not that I'm indicating Betsy died on the 11th, I tend to think not. It may not have been as drawn out as I first thought, given new information about hantavirus, but nobody really knows, and probably never will sadly.

 

[HoneyBunOne]

Why is it normal to take a few days for meds?

It's certainly not in my part of the world. (Australia) I've had my dogs at the vet for different reasons and they are always sent home with at least pain meds after procedures. Perhaps the dog showed signs of infection afterwards and the meds were antibiotics, or anti-inflammatory meds? As a 12 year old dog, maybe the meds were as innocent as something for arthritis, or an underlying kidney/heart/liver etc issue?

EDITED TO ADD:
Maybe the meds and/or food was not actually for Zinna? All 3 dogs were on the older side if I recall correctly, any one of them could have been on a special diet or have an underlying condition.

 

[HoneyBunOne]

I think it's important to note that if we think Betsy was alive and functioning for a few days, we would have to accept that she never called the vet back or tried to get the meds somehow delivered for her dog In the Kennel.

Shortened by me.
No, I don't think we have to accept that. This was mentioned in the below article:

"Arakawa had been taking her dogs to that vet for years and never once missed a food or meds pickup. The following week, sometime after Feb. 17, Gruda’s staff tried calling Arakawa on her cellphone to remind her the food was ready. No one picked up." (bold by me)

AFAIK, nobody from the vet clinic has confirmed the exact date the meds/food came in and when Betsy was notified. It's implied it's around the 11th, but I don't believe we know for sure that she had been informed. Perhaps she had been told much earlier that the shipment was definitely coming in on X date and she had said she'd swing by then. When the week lapsed, the clinic chased it up as she was usually prompt. All just my thoughts.

A mask, a cane and a frantic dog: Inside the final hours of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa

The mysterious death of actor Gene Hackman and his wife rattled and baffled the Santa Fe community. New details emerge about the couple's final hours.

www.usatoday.com

 

[poppyquiche]

What a very very sad story and heartbreaking turn for these two. I hope he wasn’t frightened in that house before the end. I hope they are together, healthy and whole, somewhere. Sure seems like she really loved him with her whole heart to be so dedicated.

 

[Cherwell]

That is true, however, what sends one person to hospital seeking medical help may not for another. I can imagine that even if Betsy felt unwell enough to go to hospital that she may have decided not to, given her caregiver role and protective nature of her husband. I can see it happening, her thinking "well who's going to look after Gene, not just for a few hours but maybe a few days? Nobody knows how bad his health is, who do we trust enough to do it? I really don't want to pull someone from their lives to take care of him. Who knows the routine of the dogs? Who's going to cook and clean? It's all too much, I'll just rest and recover here at home."

My mention of the patient sitting there one minute and dying the next was more to point out that death can come about quite quickly from this virus. One minute you're well enough to sit on a bed talking (and not be lying there in distress) yet you can die quite quickly from that point. Not that I'm indicating Betsy died on the 11th, I tend to think not. It may not have been as drawn out as I first thought, given new information about hantavirus, but nobody really knows, and probably never will sadly.

Yes, I agree. It's such a rare disease that Betsy would have had no idea how serious it was. She would have thought it was something like flu and that she would recover in a few days.

And yes, I got from the ME that once the virus has caused fluid in the lungs, death can be rapid and sudden. The time frame she gave was 24 to 48 hours following the initial few days of flu-like symptoms. Of course, as you say, it can probably vary.

It's certainly not in my part of the world. (Australia) I've had my dogs at the vet for different reasons and they are always sent home with at least pain meds after procedures. Perhaps the dog showed signs of infection afterwards and the meds were antibiotics, or anti-inflammatory meds? As a 12 year old dog, maybe the meds were as innocent as something for arthritis, or an underlying kidney/heart/liver etc issue?

Or even for one of the other dogs, or all of them. I get a special tablet for mine which protects against fleas, ticks and most worms, but I have to order them.
Without more information we can't draw any conclusions.

 

[priyaya]

Why is it normal to take a few days for meds?

In my case my dog had to get results of blood work back for pain killers because of possible aide effects.
I was thinking medication but others say medicated food so maybe it was for a different dog. Still yeah I think she wouldn't willingly not pick that up or have it delivered somehow if she was.feeli ill.
I know we compare symtoms to the flu but with hamtavirus it just goes downhill once you get to chest pains and difficulty breathing. You may wait or nap thinking you will improve with rest, but you are really just giving it more time to attack your lungs and fill with liquid.

 

[Sunshynn]

From the USA Today article and BBM :

“..Security cameras captured Arakawa’s image during her visit to the pharmacy on Feb. 11, the last day she is believed to have been alive. The longtime wife and main caregiver of actor Gene Hackman, Arakawa had busied herself with errands that day: sending an email, stopping at the pharmacy, doing some grocery shopping.
Most notable was what she didn’t do. She failed to swing by Gruda Veterinary Hospital in southwest Santa Fe to pick up the prescription dog food and medication she had ordered for one of her three dogs, Zinna, Bear and Nikita..”

Based on this article, it’s implied that the food/medication was supposed to be picked up on February 11 and then the reminder was on February 17.
MOO.,

 

[Luna20]

I don’t know if this has been discussed yet ‘the simultaneous death act’ but I’m curious about the Will. Assuming that they had one.

The daughters were photographed a few days after the news coming out of a restaurant. They both had big smiles and looked especially happy.

The one daughter who spoke to the media said that she talked to him a couple of months ago. She said that he was doing fine, exercising and practicing yoga.

It’s clear that he wasn’t doing yoga or riding a bike. The photo of him holding on to BA arm is 2 years old. He was hunched over and looked rough then. So it makes me wonder why she would say that. Maybe to sound positive? If they were estranged maybe she wanted to preserve his dignity?

https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/law-and-life/the-simultaneous-death-act-may-affect-estate-of-gene-hackman-and-wife/

 

[Ghostwheel]

I have to think a person with their house in a revocable trust has a will. And since New Mexico is a community property state, order of death would very much matter.

Eta: he might have been practicing yoga. You can do that on a chair.

 

[HoneyBunOne]

From the USA Today article and BBM :

“..Security cameras captured Arakawa’s image during her visit to the pharmacy on Feb. 11, the last day she is believed to have been alive. The longtime wife and main caregiver of actor Gene Hackman, Arakawa had busied herself with errands that day: sending an email, stopping at the pharmacy, doing some grocery shopping.
Most notable was what she didn’t do. She failed to swing by Gruda Veterinary Hospital in southwest Santa Fe to pick up the prescription dog food and medication she had ordered for one of her three dogs, Zinna, Bear and Nikita..”

Based on this article, it’s implied that the food/medication was supposed to be picked up on February 11 and then the reminder was on February 17.
MOO.,

Yeah, I personally have a few issues with that article. It seems to state that Betsy died on the 11th, which is not fact. It may be the case, but it's not fact. The article implies a few things that aren't necessarily facts.

As for not picking up the meds/food on the day she ran errands, it could have been as innocent as running out of time. The website says the vet is open until 5.30pm week days. Would she have had time to get them, considering her last errand finished just before 5pm? Was she trying to avoid any peak hour traffic? Did she want to get home before dark? (Sunset was apparently 5.42pm on Feb 11th) Or before rain, if it was forecast that day? The following link seems to indicate the temperature took a fairly sharp downward turn from about 5pm-6pm. Perhaps she wanted to get home before it got too cold, especially if she was already feeling under the weather?

Santa Fe February 11, 2025 Historical Weather (New Mexico, United States) - Weather Spark

weatherspark.com

Google Search

Gruda Veterinary Hospital | Santa Fe, NM | Contact Us

Your Santa Fe, NM delivers exceptional care services for your pets. Contact Gruda Veterinary Hospital at (505) 471-4400 to make an appointment today.

grudavet.com

 

[Cherwell]

From the USA Today article and BBM :

“..Security cameras captured Arakawa’s image during her visit to the pharmacy on Feb. 11, the last day she is believed to have been alive. The longtime wife and main caregiver of actor Gene Hackman, Arakawa had busied herself with errands that day: sending an email, stopping at the pharmacy, doing some grocery shopping.
Most notable was what she didn’t do. She failed to swing by Gruda Veterinary Hospital in southwest Santa Fe to pick up the prescription dog food and medication she had ordered for one of her three dogs, Zinna, Bear and Nikita..”

Based on this article, it’s implied that the food/medication was supposed to be picked up on February 11 and then the reminder was on February 17.
MOO.,

It's implied, but do they have any more information other than that the vet practice rang on the 17th?
I wouldn't put too much trust in it as they also say "the last day she is believed to have been alive", which is not accurate. It should be "the last day she is known to have been alive".

Aha, cross posted with HoneyBunOne who makes the same point.

 

[Luna20]

I have to think a person with their house in a revocable trust has a will. And since New Mexico is a community property state, order of death would very much matter.

Eta: he might have been practicing yoga. You can do that on a chair.

The order of death is interesting as it applies here.

From that above article:

“An example is a life insurance policy. Suppose a husband has a life insurance policy and names his wife as the primary beneficiary and his two children as contingent beneficiaries. If he and his wife die simultaneously (or within 120 hours) of each other, the insurance company treats it as if the wife predeceased the husband. The children receive the life insurance proceeds as a result. It would make little sense for the proceeds to go to the wife’s estate to be probated and then given to the children”

 

[Sunshynn]

It's implied, but do they have any more information other than that the vet practice rang on the 17th?

Yup.
Hence why I put:

Based on this article, it’s implied that the food/medication was supposed to be picked up on February 11 and then the reminder was on February 17.

I’m also not sure how much stock we can put into the ‘facts’ put into this article - it’s more of assuming some things but presenting them as facts.

 

[slowpoke]

At least in this article, it doesn’t state definitively that Betsy passed away on Feb 11 like other media has been saying.

This publication puts it:
(bbm)

“While Hackman and his wife were found lying dead in separate rooms of their home by property maintenance staff Feb. 26, investigators believe Arakawa died first — possibly Feb. 11 — and Hackman on Feb. 18.

Emails and surveillance videos confirm Arakawa was alive at least until the evening of Feb. 11, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said. She exchanged emails with her massage therapist that morning, and she could be seen on cameras walking around a Sprouts grocery store in Santa Fe hours later, returning home through their subdivision’s gate at about 5:15 p.m., he said. After that time, he added, investigators found no other communications from Arakawa, and several of her emails from that day were unopened.”

OMI, sheriff paint tragic picture of Gene Hackman's final days after wife died of hantavirus

Hackman, 95, died of heart disease with advanced Alzheimer's disease, while Betsy Arakawa, 65, tested positive for hantavirus.

www.santafenewmexican.com

 

[Andreee]

dbm

 

[ClearAhead]

Yup.
Hence why I put:

I’m also not sure how much stock we can put into the ‘facts’ put into this article - it’s more of assuming some things but presenting them as facts.

Yeah I question USA Today’s reporting as well. During the update we were told Betsy picked up Zinna from the vets on Feb 9th. Here it’s claimed the dog had “major surgery” but was picked up late January. Or are they talking about two vet services from different locations close together in time? Very confusing.

ERA my error, pick up date was reportedly the 9th

A mask, a cane and a frantic dog: Inside the final hours of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa

The mysterious death of actor Gene Hackman and his wife rattled and baffled the Santa Fe community. New details emerge about the couple's final hours.

www.usatoday.com

“One of the last times the hospital staff saw Arakawa was in late January, when she came in to pick up Zinna, who had had “major surgery,” Gruda said. She was her typical, alert self, he said.”