Gene Hackman and wife horrified by media invasions as they face death
- Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were found dead from natural causes in February 2025.
- Publicist Susan Madore testified that the couple took extreme measures to protect their privacy, including buying secluded land.
- The court ruled to release police footage with certain protections, underscoring the family's fight for privacy during their grieving process.
In late February 2025, Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead at their home in New Mexico. Following their deaths, a court hearing took place to decide whether to release police footage and photographs linked to the investigation. Susan Madore, Hackman's publicist, testified that the couple valued their privacy immensely, illustrating this with anecdotes about their lifestyle choices, including purchasing land near a garbage dump so Hackman could ride his bike without being disturbed. The family opposed releasing the footage, arguing it would invade their mourning space. The Santa Fe judge ultimately decided to release redacted police body camera videos and documents but barred any public viewing of the couple's bodies. Madore recounted incidents demonstrating their horror over media attention; Hackman turned down interview requests to maintain his privacy, and even moments before his death, he was concerned about shedding light on personal matters. Arakawa's mother, Yoshie Feaster, expressed her anguish in court, emphasizing the emotional toll the public spectacle of their deaths inflicted on the family. At a press conference on March 7, Dr. Heather Jarrell of New Mexico's Office of the Medical Investigator revealed the couple's causes of death. Betsy Arakawa died from hantavirus, a disease transmitted from rodents, while Gene Hackman's death was attributed to heart disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a contributing factor. The revelation of his poor health state drew more attention to their private lives and caused additional grief for the family, emphasizing the struggle against invasion of privacy, particularly during such a vulnerable time. The publicist’s comments highlighted the extent to which Hackman and Arakawa sought to retreat from public scrutiny as they aged. Their effort to purchase a secluded piece of land exemplified their attempts at safeguarding their privacy. As these developments unfolded, it was clear that despite Hackman’s illustrious Hollywood career, he and Arakawa hoped to hold on to a semblance of normalcy and privacy far removed from the limelight, especially in their final years.