Gene Hackman's close friend speaks out after discovering late star was home with wife's dead body for a week

A close friend of Gene Hackman has spoken out after a new update on the actor and his wife, Betsy Arakawa’s, tragic deaths was shared yesterday (7 March).

The pair’s causes of death were confirmed at a press conference as it was revealed the actor was at home with the 65-year-old pianist’s dead body for a week.

Hackman and Arakawa were found dead at their Santa Fe home on 26 February.

Dr Heather Jarrell, of the New Mexico Medical Investigator's Office, said: "The cause of death for Mr. Gene Hackman, aged 95 years, is hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer's disease as a significant contributory factor.”

It is believed Arakawa died on 11 February from Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a full seven days before it is believed Hackman died.

And as it was confirmed a scan on his brain ‘showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease', the medical examiner added: “It's quite possible that he was not aware that she was deceased."

Described as Hackman’s close friend and former business partner, Doug Lanham expressed his shock over the star not being able to call for help in the days after Arakawa died on their bathroom floor.

“We all knew that he was in the late stages of Alzheimer’s. But he was still doing his writing and painting,” he told DailyMail.com. “That makes no sense. It’s very strange.

“For me personally, it’s even more bizarre. I just can’t comprehend it.”

Lanham also told NBC News that the pair were business partners for almost a decade and described Hackman as a bit of a prankster, who also nicknamed by his pals as ‘Captain Hollywood’.

The pair were found dead at the end of February. (Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

With Hackman confirmed to have died a week after his wife, Dr Jarrell was asked whether the star would have been able to survive on his own.

“I’m not aware of what his normal daily functioning capability was,” she said.

“He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that is what resulted in his death."

It was also confirmed that the actor was found with no food in his stomach, meaning it was likely he hadn’t eaten for some time before his death.

Hackman in The French Connection. (20th Century Fox/Hulton Archive/Courtesy of Getty Images)

One of the couple’s three dogs was also found dead at the property when Arakawa and Hackman were discovered, with two still alive.

The dog’s cause of death is still to be determined with an investigation ongoing.

It was also confirmed that Arakawa's hantavirus case had been flagged to the Centre for Disease Control, though there are 'no usual patterns'.