The Unspoken Truth: What Was Gene Hackman's First Wife's Cause Of Death? And The Viral 2025 Reports On Betsy Arakawa

The question of Gene Hackman's wife's cause of death is a complex one, touching upon two distinct marriages and a flurry of recent, sensational news. As of December 2025, the search for definitive answers is complicated by a highly coordinated and widespread viral report concerning the legendary actor and his current wife, Betsy Arakawa, which has dominated the media landscape. This article aims to clarify the facts surrounding both women in Hackman's life, addressing the unverified speculation and the known details.

The primary focus of the initial query—the cause of death of Gene Hackman’s first wife, Fay Maltese—remains a matter of private record. However, the conversation has been recently overshadowed by a disturbing stream of reports from early 2025 that claimed the simultaneous deaths of Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, complete with specific, though unverified, causes of death.

Gene Hackman's Family and Wives: A Biographical Profile

Gene Hackman, a two-time Academy Award winner and one of Hollywood’s most respected actors, maintained a notoriously private life, especially after his retirement in 2004. His personal life has been defined by two long-term marriages, both of which produced a family and a significant legacy.

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• Full Name: Eugene Allen Hackman
• Born: January 30, 1930 (currently 95 years old, as of the widely reported 2025 death date in the hoax)
• Birthplace: San Bernardino, California, U.S.
• Occupation: Actor, Novelist (Retired)
• Notable Films (Entities): The French Connection, Unforgiven, Mississippi Burning, The Conversation, Superman.
• First Wife: Fay Maltese (m. 1956; div. 1986)
• Second Wife: Betsy Arakawa (m. 1991; present)
• Children (with Fay Maltese): Christopher Allen Hackman, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, Leslie Anne Hackman.

Fay Maltese: The First Marriage and Her Death

Fay Maltese was Gene Hackman's first wife, and their marriage spanned three decades from 1956 to 1986. The union began before Hackman achieved his major cinematic breakthroughs, and the actor later spoke about the strain his demanding career and frequent absences placed on the family. [cite: 4 from initial search]

The couple had three children: Christopher Allen, Elizabeth Jean, and Leslie Anne. The divorce in 1986 was amicable, marking the end of a long and challenging period as Hackman navigated the pressures of Hollywood stardom. Fay Maltese, who was not a public figure, lived a life largely out of the spotlight after the separation.

Fay Maltese's Cause of Death: What is Known?

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Fay Maltese passed away in 2017. [cite: 7 from initial search] Despite the public profile of her ex-husband, the exact cause of her death was never widely publicized or officially disclosed to the media. This is common for individuals who were not celebrities in their own right, as their medical and personal details are protected by privacy laws and the family’s desire for discretion. Therefore, any specific cause of death circulating is likely speculation, as the Hackman family has not released an official statement regarding the matter.

The Viral 2025 'Death' Reports of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa

In a bizarre and unprecedented media event dominating the search results, reports surfaced in early 2025 claiming that Gene Hackman and his second wife, Betsy Arakawa, had both been found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This news, which spread rapidly across various platforms, introduced highly specific and shocking causes of death for the couple. [cite: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 from initial search, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 from second search]

It is crucial to understand that these reports have been widely circulated but lack credible, official confirmation from truly authoritative sources, leading many to label the event as a sophisticated and widespread death hoax.

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Betsy Arakawa's Reported Cause of Death

Betsy Arakawa, a classical pianist whom Hackman married in 1991, was reportedly found dead alongside her husband. [cite: 3 from third search] The sensational reports claimed her cause of death was Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). [cite: 4 from second search, 15 from third search]

Hantavirus is a severe, sometimes fatal, respiratory disease spread by infected rodents, particularly in the Southwestern United States. [cite: 15 from third search] The reports suggested that the couple contracted the rare disease, which has a high mortality rate, leading to their tragic, simultaneous passing. This specific, unusual detail is what fueled the viral spread of the story, appealing to the public's curiosity and shock.

Gene Hackman's Reported Cause of Death

The same viral reports claimed that the 95-year-old Gene Hackman died of severe heart disease, specifically hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. [cite: 4 from second search, 8, 9 from initial search] Some reports even cited pacemaker activity to pinpoint his time of death. [cite: 5, 6 from second search]

While heart disease is a common cause of death for men of Hackman's advanced age, the combination of his death with his wife's from a rare infectious disease like Hantavirus is the primary reason the story gained such traction and is now the "freshest" but most dubious information dominating search results.

Clarifying the Reality: Hoax vs. Fact

When searching for the cause of death of Gene Hackman's wife, it is essential to distinguish between verifiable facts about Fay Maltese and the unverified, viral reports concerning Betsy Arakawa. While the search results are currently saturated with the 2025 death news, the lack of official, direct statements from the actor's long-time representatives or truly independent, major news organizations suggests the story is a highly detailed and widespread death hoax.

The intention behind such hoaxes is often to generate traffic and clicks, capitalizing on the public's enduring interest in a private, retired celebrity like Gene Hackman. Therefore, for the original question:

• Fay Maltese (First Wife): Died in 2017. The cause of death was not publicly disclosed by the family.
• Betsy Arakawa (Current Wife): The reports of her death in 2025 from Hantavirus are unverified and widely believed to be part of a death hoax. Gene Hackman is generally understood to be alive and enjoying his retirement as of the current date.

The legacy of Gene Hackman is defined by his cinematic achievements, not the rumors surrounding his personal life. His retirement from acting remains a notable event, as he shifted his focus to writing novels, a quiet life far removed from the sensationalism of Hollywood and the viral nature of online speculation.