Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy’s Final Autopsy Report Revealed

• Gene Hackman died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, while his wife Betsy died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
• Gene, the 95-year-old two-time Oscar-winning actor, and Betsy, a classical pianist, were discovered dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home on Wednesday, Feb. 26
• PEOPLE learned earlier this month that Gene’s three adult children attended a small, private memorial for the actor and Betsy in Santa Fe

A final autopsy for Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy confirms that Betsy, 65, died of hantavirus days before Gene, 95, died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

The report, obtained by PEOPLE on Sunday, April 27, listed hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease as the cause of death for Gene, who was found dead along with his wife of more than 30 years in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home on Feb. 26.

Alzheimer’s disease was also cited as a significant condition that contributed to Gene’s death. The medical investigator’s office wrote in its opinion of the autopsy that an examination of Gene’s brain “showed microscopic findings of advanced stage Alzheimer’s disease.” According to the medical investigator, Gene “succumbed to natural disease subsequent to the demise of” Betsy.

Betsy’s own postmortem examination found that she died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Authorities previously stated that they believe Betsy died from the flu-like virus one week before Gene died, and that the actor was likely alone in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home with his dead wife for days.

New Mexico’s chief medical examiner Heather Jarrell previously confirmed the details of their deaths to reporters on Friday, March 7. Their autopsies were completed on Feb. 27, one day after they were found dead. Though Betsy appeared to have searched online for information regarding her symptoms and a potential relation to COVID-19 and the flu, her autopsy report noted that a swab test conducted “was negative for COVID-19 and influenza.”

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PEOPLE learned earlier this month that Gene and Betsy were laid to rest and remembered in a small, private memorial held recently in Santa Fe and attended by Gene’s three adult children Christopher, Elizabeth and Leslie.

Gene and Betsy’s bodies were discovered along with the body of one of their dogs, a kelpie mix named Zinna, in Santa Fe Summit in February. Two other dogs were discovered alive and well on the property. Zinna likely died of dehydration and starvation, as Santa Fe County animal control previously revealed.

Betsy and Gene had been living a private life since Gene retired from acting following the release of 2004’s Welcome to Mooseport. The couple were last photographed together during a rare outing in March 2024, when Gene was spotted holding onto Betsy’s arm as the pair grabbed lunch together at Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen in Santa Fe.