Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa death mystery grows as doctor disputes medical examiner

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s death mystery just got more entangled as a doctor has made a new claim.

Dr. Josiah Child, a medical professional from Cloudberry Health in Santa Fe, has made a claim that refutes the medical examiner’s initial report about Betsy’s death.

According to Dr. Child, Hackman's wife reached out to his clinic on February 12, a day after the medical examiner stated the date of her passing.

He also revealed that she had cancelled a previous appointment, citing her husband's poor health as the reason.

According to Radar Online, Dr. Child said: "She called back on the morning of February 12 and spoke to one of our doctors who told her to come in that afternoon.

"We made her an appointment, but she never showed up. She did not show any symptoms of respiratory distress. The appointment wasn't for anything related to hantavirus. We tried calling her a couple of times with no reply," he added.

According to the medical examiner, Betsy died of hantavirus infection on February 11, a week before her husband died of heart failure and Alzheimer's disease on February 18.

The couple were found dead in their Santa Fe home, with Betsy on the bathroom floor surrounded by pills and Gene in a utility room nearby. One of their dogs also died of starvation and dehydration and was found in a bathroom closet near Betsy. Two other dogs survived.

Gene Hackman had a celebrated career in Hollywood spanning over four decades. The actor won two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards throughout his impressive career.