Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa Notes Revealed as Investigation Unsealed

A batch of letters and notes gives a glimpse into the lives of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, which have been released as part of the investigation into their tragic deaths earlier this year, the Los Angeles Times reports.

At the time of his death, Hackman had been battling Alzheimer’s disease, and Arakawa was his primary caregiver. The notes between them offer not only a window into the relationship of a long-married couple (they wed in 1991), but also gesture towards the challenges of Alzheimer’s, both for those living with it and those of their caregivers. 

Arakawa, for instance, reportedly wrote detailed notes on Hackman’s medication and doctor appointments. She also frequently left Hackman notes around the house, telling him where she was or what she was doing (such as taking one of their dogs to an obedience class, or doing yoga).

The notes from Hackman, meanwhile, show that the actor seemed to retain a sense of humor that was light-hearted and occasionally self-deprecating. Of a doctor’s visit, for instance, he told Arakawa — often referred to as “Lovely girl” — he was “off to see the wizard, the wizard of achievement pokie. She stabs me here, she stabs me there, she stabs me almost everywhere. But I’ll survive, because after [all] I’m still alive. (But sometimes just barely).” 

In another letter, Hackman even seemed to acknowledge, and make light of, his waning memory. “I’m going down to that building out past the hot water place where you sit and do whatever it is that people are supposed to do in such a building — maybe I’ll remember once I get down there,” he wrote.

While frequently Hackman signed his letters “Love G,” he signed this one, “Love what’s his name.” 

Still, his notes occasionally hinted at more difficult moments, like when he wished Arakawa a belated happy birthday and wrote her, “Sorry still about the dinner and having to ask for your help, although it was appreciated.” 

Along with the letters, Santa Fe authorities investigating the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa released new photos of the couple’s home, police body camera footage, and an environmental assessment. Hackman’s estate had previously secured a temporary order to seal any records related to the investigation, but a judge later overturned that ruling on the condition that no photos or videos showed the couple’s bodies. 

Hackman and Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe home in February, with a medical examiner ultimately ruling that they died about six days apart. Arakawa likely died on Feb. 11 from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare but fatal respiratory disease spread by rodents (the environmental assessment released this week revealed that rodent feces, nests, and dead rodents were found on the couple’s property, but not the main home). Hackman died on Feb. 18 from heart disease, with his advanced Alzheimer’s also a contributing factor.