Betsy Arakawa Spoke to the Doctor One Day After Her Reported Death – Now He’s Exposing the Inconsistencies in the Police Report

A shocking revelation has cast doubt on the official timeline of Betsy Arakawa’s death — one doctor’s account contradicts what authorities have reported.

Mystery surrounds the death of Betsy Arakawa, the wife of late actor Gene Hackman, after new information contradicts official reports.

A doctor has come forward, claiming that Arakawa contacted his clinic a day after authorities reported her death, raising questions about the accuracy of the timeline in the police report.

According to the Santa Fe medical examiner, Arakawa died on February 11, 2025, from hantavirus, a rare and fatal respiratory disease transmitted by rodent droppings.

Her husband, Hackman, passed away a week later on February 18 due to heart failure and complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

However, Dr. Josiah Child, a former emergency care specialist who operates Cloudberry Health in Santa Fe, disputes this timeline.

Dr. Child told Daily Mail on Sunday, “Mrs Hackman didn’t die on February 11 because she called my clinic on February 12.”

He further revealed that Arakawa had initially contacted his clinic weeks before her passing, inquiring about an echocardiogram (heart scan) for her husband. She was not a patient of his but had been referred to Cloudberry Health by one of his existing patients.

She scheduled an appointment for herself on February 12 for an unrelated medical concern. However, two days prior, she canceled the visit, citing her husband’s illness.

Dr. Child stated that Arakawa called again on the morning of February 12 and spoke with a doctor at the clinic, who advised her to visit later that day. She scheduled an appointment but never arrived.

According to him, she showed no signs of respiratory distress, and the visit was unrelated to hantavirus. The clinic attempted to reach her multiple times but received no response.

Arakawa’s last confirmed public sighting was on February 11, the same day the coroner claimed she died. Witnesses saw her running errands in Santa Fe, stopping by a chemist, a pet food store, and a supermarket.

Her body was later discovered on the bathroom floor of the couple’s Santa Fe home, while Hackman’s body was found in a utility room 20 feet away.

Adding to the tragedy, one of the couple’s three dogs, which had been crated following surgery, died from starvation and dehydration.

The revelation that Arakawa was alive after the reported date of her death raises concerns about the accuracy of the coroner’s findings. Experts have also questioned the likelihood of hantavirus as the cause of death.

Dr. Child, while clarifying that he is not a hantavirus specialist, noted that most hantavirus cases result in hospitalization. He stated, “It is surprising that Mrs. Hackman spoke to my office on the phone on February 10 and again on February 12 and didn’t appear in respiratory distress.”

A Los Angeles-based doctor, speaking to Daily Mail on Sunday, shared similar doubts, “Medical professionals are all scratching their heads over hantavirus as the cause of death. Respiratory failure is not sudden – it is something that worsens over several days. Most people get admitted to the ER [emergency room] because they are having trouble breathing. It’s exceedingly rare for a seemingly healthy 65-year-old to drop dead of it. In fact, no one’s heard of such a thing.”

The lingering uncertainties surrounding Arakawa and Hackman’s deaths have left many searching for clarity — including those who were close to the couple.

Among them is Jesse Kesler, a longtime contractor and handyman for Hackman, who now regrets not acting sooner when their usual communication suddenly stopped.

In his first interview, the 52-year-old revealed that he had seen the 95-year-old actor driving in the Santa Fe, New Mexico, area three months before his death. He recalled that Hackman, whose death was partly attributed to advanced Alzheimer’s, appeared to be in good health.

As the couple’s general contractor, Kesler explained that his company, Mud City Builders, “did everything” for them, including renovations, new constructions, and maintenance. He noted that he had been in near-constant communication with the couple.

His last contact with Arakawa, however, was via email in the days leading up to her suspected time of death. At first, he assumed their lack of communication was due to an accident or miscommunication.

“For the first week, I thought maybe she was mad at me. I thought I had done something wrong,” Kesler explained. Since he had other projects, he wondered if he might have upset them by saying something like, “Oh yeah, we’re doing this for this other person.”

He elaborated, “So I thought maybe I’d got caught. I thought maybe I was in trouble.” When he checked with his employee, Dwayne, he learned that he also believed Hackman and Arakawa were upset with him since he also hadn’t heard from them.

After weeks without contact, Kesler grew concerned. In the last three days before the discovery, he became convinced that something was wrong. That’s when his team started investigating the situation.

“It wasn’t like we were just up there and stumbled across it,” he explained. Kesler said it took two weeks for them to take action because they wanted to proceed properly rather than enter the couple’s property unannounced.

The red tape involved in gaining entry to the home caused delays. After reaching out to law enforcement, they also attempted to contact the couple’s family. However, when they realized how long it was taking to reach them, Kesler decided to act.

On February 26, 2025, he drove to the mansion’s security gate and was about to enter when security guard Roland Lowe Begay arrived. Kesler informed Begay of his concerns, and since the guard had known the couple for years, he joined him.

The two men managed to only catch a glimpse of Arakawa, who was found dead on the bathroom floor. Begay, sensing something was terribly wrong after peering through the windows, made a panicked 911 call.

Later, police found Hackman’s body in another room. Kesler recalled that even though the bathroom door was open from the outside, they did not enter the house. They only looked in, and it was clear that “she was gone.”

“I was told to stay out of the house, and [not to] go in there. I was hysterical. I pretty much lost it,” the contractor shared. He also called Dwayne to come over, sharing with him that something was seriously wrong.

When Dwayne arrived, he and Kesler had to answer questions from the police. Authorities initially suspected a carbon monoxide leak as the cause of the couple’s death. However, Kesler, who was familiar with the house and its systems, assured them that wasn’t the case.

Even so, the police insisted on investigating their theory themselves. Kesler also recalled feeling, at one point, that investigators were looking at him as a potential suspect, though they never officially named him as one.

“It was pretty stressful,” Kesler admitted. “In the beginning, I had the police going through all my stuff, my phone, my computer. Yeah, I was the guy that knew something was badly wrong and I’m the guy that found them.”

Despite feeling scrutinized, he continued assisting with the investigation and was relieved when authorities ultimately determined the true causes of the couple’s deaths. He’s since expressed deep regret for delaying checking on the couple’s well-being in their New Mexico mansion.

The contractor admitted that he is haunted by the thought that he could have saved them if he had acted sooner. Speaking in a phone interview with a publication in the second week of March, Kesler confessed, “I wish I’d gone in quicker… I might have been able to save Gene or the dog.”

With a quivering voice, he continued, “To be honest, it was awful. It was one of the worst days of my life, and I’ve had some bad days. To see someone like that…” he trailed off.

“I was hoping for a better outcome, that maybe they were out of town and just didn’t tell anyone, or they got locked in the wine cellar by accident,” he added.

Kesler initially refused to comment publicly on the tragedy due to his respect for the “extremely” private couple. He explained his decision to the media with a printed statement that he placed on his door on March 1.

However, he explained to Daily Mail that the “misinformation” going around took its toll on him. He ended up seeking therapy and opened up to set the record straight.

As per previous reports, security cameras captured Arakawa’s hours before her death. Her errands seemed routine — until a hospital owner noticed she missed a usual stop.

Classical pianist Arakawa was recorded running errands in Santa Fe, New Mexico, according to USA Today. On February 11, 2025, the 65-year-old visited a CVS Pharmacy, about five miles from her home, wearing a mask — likely due to an illness affecting her lungs.

That same day, she sent an email and went grocery shopping. However, an unusual omission in her routine raised concerns among those who knew her.

She never picked up a prescription order for her three dogs — Zinna, Bear, and Nikita — from Gruda Veterinary Hospital, something she had never missed before. When the order remained unclaimed after February 17, clinic staff tried calling her, but their calls went unanswered.

“She was devoted to those dogs,” Robert Gruda, the hospital’s owner, told USA Today. “She was consistent, predictable. We knew something was wrong when she didn’t pick up the food on time.”

Authorities later found Arakawa on the bathroom floor of the home she shared with her 95-year-old husband. She had succumbed to a rare but potentially fatal disease spread by rodents. After an investigation, they confirmed the couple’s causes of death.

Dr. Heather Jarrell, Chief Medical Examiner for New Mexico, shared the official autopsy results in a press conference on March 8, 2025. Both deaths were classified as natural causes.

Dr. Jarrell explained that there were no signs of trauma on either individual and that toxicology reports ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning, COVID-19, influenza, and other common respiratory viruses.

According to the report, Hackman died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease listed as a significant contributing factor. His wife passed away due to Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.

Investigators believe that Betsy Arakawa passed away first. Surveillance footage confirmed that she returned home on February 11, at 5:15 p.m. After that, she had no further recorded activity.

Her last known communication was an email sent at 11:21 a.m. on that same day. Numerous unread emails were later found on her computer. Hackman’s pacemaker provided insight into his final days.

The device recorded cardiac activity on February 17, with an abnormal rhythm detected on February 18, marking the last recorded instance of heart activity. Based on this, experts concluded that Hackman likely died around February 18.

Gene Hackman’s Health and Final Days

The autopsy revealed that Gene Hackman suffered from severe heart disease, including prior heart attacks, extensive heart damage, and significant kidney impairment due to chronic high blood pressure.

Dr. Jarrell confirmed that he did not show signs of a recent heart attack, but he had an abnormal heart rhythm, which could have led to his death.

Additionally, advanced Alzheimer’s disease was evident in his brain. When asked if Hackman may have been aware of his wife’s passing, Dr. Jarrell said, “It’s quite possible that he was not aware that Miss Hackman was deceased.”

The two-time Oscar-winning actor was found in the mudroom of the home, with his walking cane and sunglasses nearby. Officials were unable to determine whether he had been attempting to seek help.

The Hantavirus Explained

The Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome that Arakawa’s death was attributed to is a rare but often fatal disease caused by exposure to infected rodent droppings. Dr. Jarrell explained the progression of the illness.

“Clinically, hantavirus infection is characterized by flu-like symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, and cough, which can sometimes progress to vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, lung failure, or cardiac failure,” she stated.

Experts believe she likely developed symptoms in the days leading up to her death, experiencing respiratory distress before collapsing. The virus has a high mortality rate of 38% to 50%, and its symptoms can escalate rapidly.

When asked if their dog, Zinna, could have also been infected, Dr. Jarrell stated that while dogs are not known to get sick from hantavirus, the possibility cannot be ruled out. The dog was found deceased in a crate, and a necropsy is pending.

Authorities had earlier ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning after testing the home. A minor gas leak was detected on a kitchen stove burner, but officials confirmed it was not significant enough to contribute to their deaths.

Additionally, investigators found no security footage from inside or outside the home, as the property did not have surveillance cameras installed.

Authorities Request Privacy for the Family

Dr. Jarrell emphasized that the Office of the Medical Investigator does not typically make public statements about death investigations but felt it was necessary to ensure the dissemination of accurate information.

She concluded by requesting privacy for the family, stating, “Please respect the privacy that Mr. Gene Hackman, Miss Betsy Hackman, and their family and friends deserve. Thank you.”

The deaths of the veteran actor and his wife have come as a huge shock to many, especially as new details continue to challenge the official timeline.

With conflicting medical reports and unanswered questions, the mystery deepens — leaving those close to the couple questioning what really happened in their final days.