Actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa died of natural causes about a week apart

The 95-year-old actor's Alzheimer's means it is "quite possible" he was unaware of his wife's death, say officials.

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Hackman, 95, died at his Santa Fe home from coronary artery disease, with advanced Alzheimer's disease a contributing factor.

Ms Arakawa, 65, died in the same house from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a respiratory illness caused by exposure to infected rodents. Her cause of death was listed as natural.

Authorities believe she passed away about seven days before her husband, to whom she had been married for more than 30 years. During his career, Hackman won two Academy Awards for The French Connection and Unforgiven.

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.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c89ydyjewjlo

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