An examination of the dog found dead along with actor Gene Hackman and his wife in their Santa Fe home shows dehydration and starvation were likely what led to the animal’s demise.

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead, along with their pet dog, at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico in February 2025, sparking intense online speculation about the cause of death.

Betsy Arakawa — the classical pianist married to Gene Hackman — died last month of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare infectious disease linked to rodents, New Mexico authorities announced Friday.