Gene Hackman Cause Of Death Revealed

New Mexico officials have confirmed that 95-year-old Hollywood icon Gene Hackman died of severe cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor.

Gene and his wife, Betsy Hackman had lived a private life together in a house in Sante Fe after he retired from acting with his last film being 2004’s “Welcome to Mooseport”. The pair were both found dead on February 26th this year in separate rooms of their home during a wellness check.

Speaking at at a press conference in the wake of the autopsy, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell of the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator says it is reasonable to conclude that Betsy passed away first with February 11th being the last time that she was known to be alive after being spotted shopping at CVS.

She reportedly died of severe respiratory illness caused by hantavirus – a disease transmitted to humans via infected rats. Gene’s autopsy showed no findings concerning hantavirus infection (the virus isn’t transmissible from person to person).

His autopsy did show signs of severe heart disease, evidence of multiple heart surgeries and prior heart attacks, along with severe changes to his kidneys. His brain showed advanced Alzheimer’s disease.

Officials indicate he may have been unaware that his wife had died while he survived in their house for days. There was reportedly no food in his stomach, but he was not dehydrated at time of death which was thought to have been at least one week before his body was discovered.

Hackman leaves behind an iconic legacy including film classics like “Superman,” “The French Connection,” “Unforgiven,” “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “The Birdcage,” “Heist,” “Mississippi Burning,” “Enemy of the State” and “Young Frankenstein”.

Source: ABC Australia

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