Actor Gene Hackman died of natural causes about a week after his wife Betsy Arakawa, who died after contracting a rare virus, says a New Mexico medical investigator.
The Oscar-winning actor, 95, died from coronary artery disease, with advanced Alzheimer’s disease a contributing factor.
Ms Arakawa, 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rare but serious respiratory illness caused by exposure to infected rodents.
Authorities believe she passed away about seven days before her husband. Her cause of death was listed as natural.
It is likely that Ms Arakawa died first on 11 February, Dr Heather Jarrell of the New Mexico Medical Investigator’s Office told a news conference on Friday.
She said it was “reasonable to conclude” that Hackman died on 18 February.
Ms Arakawa’s last known movements and correspondence were on 11 February, when she was seen going to a supermarket and returning home in the early evening.
HPS is transmitted through contact with rodent droppings, urine or saliva, often when contaminated dust is inhaled.
While rare, the disease can be severe, leading to respiratory failure in some cases.
Investigators are trying to determine how Ms Arakawa contracted the virus.
The couple, who had been married for more than 30 years, were found in their Santa Fe home after neighbourhood security conducted a welfare check and saw their bodies on the ground through the window.
The couple’s bodies were discovered in advanced stages of decomposition, suggesting they had been dead for several days before the wellness check that led to their discovery.
Hackman’s body was discovered in a sideroom next to the kitchen, with a walking cane and a pair of sunglasses nearby, according to a search warrant affidavit.
Ms Arakawa’s body was found in the bathroom, with scattered pills near her.
During their search of the home, sheriff’s deputies located medications for thyroid and blood pressure treatment, along with pain reliever Tylenol, according to a court-filed inventory of the search.
Some pills were scattered on a bathroom countertop close to Ms Arakawa’s body. Citing privacy laws, authorities did not disclose who had been prescribed the medication.
One of the couple’s three dogs was also found dead inside a crate near Ms Arakawa, while the other two dogs were alive.
The cause of death for the dog is yet to be determined, officials say.
Initial investigations found no signs of forced entry or foul play at their $3.8m (£3m) home. Tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative, and no significant gas leaks were detected.
