A leading pathologist has proposed a new theory regarding the deaths of legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, as speculation continues over the circumstances surrounding their passing.
Dr. James Gill, Chief Medical Examiner with the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, shared his insights with People magazine, weighing in on the possible sequence of events that led to the couple’s tragic end.
New Theory on Their Deaths
With official confirmation on the cause of death still pending, Dr. Gill examined the unusual nature of both Hackman, 94, and Arakawa, 61, collapsing in different parts of their Santa Fe home.
“From the initial kind of circumstances, it seems like he may have collapsed,” Dr. Gill explained, noting Hackman’s history of heart disease and his pacemaker. “That would not be unusual. But the unusual part is, why then did she also collapse?”
One theory suggests that Arakawa may have discovered Hackman in distress, which led to a stress-induced medical emergency of her own.
“There is this thing where the stress of seeing someone die could have triggered a natural death in her,” Dr. Gill elaborated. “It has been known to happen—a broken heart-type thing.”
What the Scene Suggests
Authorities found Hackman collapsed in the mudroom of their home, while Arakawa’s body was discovered in the bathroom, next to an open bottle of prescription medication.
Dr. Gill also floated the possibility that Hackman may have been the one to find Arakawa first and collapsed while trying to seek help.
“He was older, had known heart disease. If he found her unresponsive, he could have been going to get help or grab his phone and then suffered a fatal event due to the stress,” he said.
Awaiting Autopsy Results
While stress-induced deaths are possible, Dr. Gill emphasized that only autopsy and toxicology reports can provide definitive answers.
“Suddenly finding your loved one dead on the floor can increase adrenaline, which stimulates the heart to beat faster. That can put the heart into an irregular rhythm,” he explained.
Ultimately, Dr. Gill concluded, “I think the autopsy and toxicology testing is what’s needed to make a final determination. Otherwise, it’s all speculation at this point.”
Authorities are continuing their investigation, and official cause-of-death findings are expected in the coming weeks.
