Close pals suggest Gene Hackman's 'protective' wife Betsy was partially to blame for actor's tragic death

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: Gene Hackman’s friends are pointing fingers at the Oscar-winner’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, for being somewhat responsible for the tragedy of their deaths.

The partially mummified bodies of the ‘French Connection’ actor, 95, and his classical pianist wife, 65, were discovered at their reclusive Santa Fe, New Mexico home on February 26. 

Autopsies later revealed that while Arakawa died around February 11 after suffering from the rare rodent-borne hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), her elderly husband died around a week later on February 18.

The actor’s cause of death was a combination of heart failure, with severe Alzheimer's as a contributing factor. His stomach was also empty, indicating he had not had any food for days before his death. 

As the tragic details of the couple’s deaths have been revealed, some of Hackman’s friends are pointing their fingers at his overprotective wife for their fates.

Gene Hackman’s friends are blaming Betsy Arakawa for the tragic consequences

Speaking to Daily Mail, Gene Hackman’s business partner and friend of two decades, Tom Allin, 75, hypothesized that Betsy Arakawa’s overprotectiveness toward her husband could have been a contributing factor to the tragedy.

Allin claimed that her controlling nature and desire to keep him isolated facilitated the couple’s solitary life. The friend shared that though Hackman’s $80 million fortune could have well afforded them 24-hour live-in care, Arakawa probably decided against it. 

Allin revealed, “I don't think she allowed anybody in the house, especially in the last six months.”

Hackman’s golf friend and business partner further revealed that the actor’s wife would have undertaken most of the caregiving tasks herself. It, however, had its downsides too. 

Allin continued, “She was little. If he fell, she would have a hard time lifting him,” before pointing out that despite the troubles, Arakawa was determined to “do everything herself.”

However, though her intentions were good, the execution might not have had the same effect, which ultimately led to Hackman’s death within a week of Arakawa’s. 

“She was going to do everything to protect him until he passed away,” said Hackman’s friend, before continuing, “But she didn't expect to pass away first.”

Allin suggested that Arakawa’s protective love toward her husband inadvertently incapacitated him. Hackman, who was already suffering from the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, stood no chance of survival after his partner’s demise. 

The actor’s friend further wondered while criticizing Arakawa’s decision, “If Betsy's absolute goal of privacy ended up not being helpful at all.”

Another source, also a friend of Hackman, also supported Allin’s theories as they said people there “are blaming her.”

The ‘Unforgiven’ actor friend continued that though Arakawa thought she could manage it all herself, she unfortunately couldn’t. 

Thus, when the police arrived at their home, they found it in a “mess.”

“The inside of the house was shocking,” said the source, before adding, “They didn't have a housekeeper or a maid, so it had beautiful things - furniture and paintings - but there was dog poop on the floor.”

The insider continued, “Some of the poop had been there for a while and was covered in newspaper. The inside of the house was bad. Nothing had been dusted. There was nothing in the fridge.”

In conclusion, Hackman’s friend shared with the outlet, “Betsy thought she could handle it, but she couldn't.”

“People here are blaming her. Gene was skin and bones by the end. He didn't have to die,” declared the source.

Gene Hackman’s friend says Betsy Arakawa ‘never put any sort of barrier up’ between the actor and his children

The couple’s shocking deaths also put forward the question of whether the actor’s three adult children - daughters Leslie and Elizabeth, and son Christopher - were not in touch with their nonagenarian father before his death. 

A woman, who was an acquaintance of Arakawa and connected through their shared love of dogs, said, “Everyone in our friendship group is asking the same questions. It makes no sense that no one would report that they hadn't heard from them in weeks.”

‘The Conversation’ actor’s friend, however, shared that he got the impression that the actor and his children were distant before his death. 

“I didn't get the impression that he and Betsy saw much of Gene's children. I never saw them (Hackman's children) in Santa Fe and didn't hear him talking about them,” shared Allin. 

Another close friend, however, noted that Arakawa was not the one to be blamed, as he claimed, “She wanted him to know his kids, she never put any sort of barrier up, certainly not in the early days.”