Pathologist Offers New Theory About Why Gene Hackman's Wife Betsy Didn't Immediately Call 911 If He Suffered Medical Emergency!

A question one pathologist has about the mysterious deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa: Why did no one call 911?

Last month, the couple and one of their dogs were found dead inside their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. They had been gone for several days by that time. We know Gene passed away on February 17 because of his pacemaker. While it is unknown the exact day of death for Betsy, police suspect she had been dead for some time since she was already in a state of decomposition, and mummification started on her hands and feet. What happened to them? No clue…

That is an answer we are all still waiting for, but there are a lot of theories circulating about the tragedy. One that has made sense so far comes from forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden. He speculated the 95-year-old actor suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed. In a panic, Betsy ran into the bathroom to grab his medication but fell, hitting her head on the way down to the ground. Dr. Baden thinks the 64-year-old pianist suffered some sort of injury to the brain, but with no one able to help her, she died.

Given the facts we know so far, including how Gene had a history of heart disease and pills like the blood pressure medication diltiazem was around Betsy, this seems likely. However, another pathologist, James Gill, is stuck on one thing: Why did she not call 911 if there was a medical emergency!

At first, Gill, who is a Chief Medical Examiner with the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and not working on the case whatsoever, told People on Friday that he thought Gene and Betsy died from carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s something we all initially believied, even his own daughter! But the two tested negative for carbon monoxide. The New Mexico Gas Company also confirmed there was a leak — but one that definitely wasn’t big enough to have killed them! So, that is out! The pathologist said:

“Initially I was thinking carbon monoxide. You’re thinking of something that all the people would be exposed to. But the fact that that’s negative then you start wondering about not only the cause of death, but the manner of death.”

Like Dr. Baden, Gill thinks Gene may have collapsed:

“He’s got a history of heart disease. He’s got a pacemaker. So that would not be unusual. But the unusual part is that why then did she also collapse.”

And that’s the big mystery here. We have the theory from Dr. Baden, which seems very plausible. Betsy could have fallen in her rush to grab Gene’s medication while he suffered cardiac arrest. What Gill wonders, though, is why she didn’t call 911 if this was an emergency! That is fair to question! It’s what most would do! So, he theorizes:

“If she had found him alive, why didn’t she call 911? Which, you know, usually that’s a person’s first instinct. Maybe they had agreed that if he was found, he didn’t want to be resuscitated. She may have panicked and then either had a primary heart event herself, a cardiac event or maybe she got despondent, and she took pills.”

But as we previously reported, Gill doesn’t believe this was a “companion suicide” since the couple were found in different rooms of the home! But what was another idea he had to explain why neither Betsy nor Gene called 911? Betsy may have died first! And due to his previous health condition, Gill explained Gene may have “found her and was going out to get help or get his phone, and he then collapsed from the stress of that, too.” He continued:

“Just as likely. He’s older, he’s got known heart disease. But the autopsy would certainly show if she had heart disease or cancer or what have you.”

Family friends claimed Betsy “was in perfect health” and “was so fit” — in comparison to Gene, whose health was “really slipping” over the past few months. But you never know! Perhaps she had been unknowingly dealing with a problem or hadn’t told anyone about it! Ultimately, the autopsy will give us answers. Gill pointed out that the autopsy and toxicology will determine if there were injuries from a fall or if this was a drug-induced death:

“I think the autopsy and the toxicology testing are really going to be what’s needed in order to make that final determination. Otherwise, it’s kind of speculation at this point.”

Until the autopsy comes out, we’re all just left wondering what happened here!

What do YOU think about Gill’s theory, Perezcious readers? Sound OFF in the comments!

[Image via WENN, CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube]