Gene Hackman's Rat-Infested Home Deemed 'Breeding Ground' for Lethal Virus That Killed His Wife: Report
Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were found dead in February.
Actor Gene Hackman's home contained the perfect conditions to facilitate production and spread of the deadly hantavirus.
The New Mexico Department of Public Health conducted a health assessment of the property, concluding that rodent droppings were found in three garages, two casitas and three sheds on their property, creating a "breeding ground" for the virus that would eventually kill his wife, Betsy Arakawa, according to TMZ.
Rodent's nests were also found in the three detached garages, TMZ reported.
Two vehicles on the property also showed signs of rodent activity and when conducting the investigation, investigators found traps on the property, suggesting that the rodent activity had been an ongoing problem for Hackman and Arakawa.
The hantavirus, the virus that caused Arakawa's death, is often found in rat droppings and rat urine.
The DPH report went on to deem the primary residence on the property "low-risk" with no signs of rodent activity on the inside of it.
Read more: Did Gene Hackman and His Wife Have a 'Stalker'? Chilling Claims Emerge After Shocking Deaths
According to the Daily Mail, the hantavirus is rare in the United States with less than 50 cases reported each year in the country.
Arakawa was reported to have died from the virus on February 12 with Hackman dying a few days later on February from heart disease that was exacerbated by Alzheimer's.
Hackman's will listed Arakawa as his sole beneficiary and Arakawa's will stated that if she and Hackman were to die within 90 days of each other then the money from the estate would be given to charity.
