Dead Rodents, Nests Found on Hackman's Property

Dead rodents and rodent nests were discovered on the property where the actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa died in February. Hackman, 95, died from heart disease and complications from Alzheimer's up to a week after his wife and caretaker, Arakawa, 65, succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare respiratory disease spread through rodent droppings, urine, and saliva. Though Hackman and Arakawa's primary residence was clean and free of rodents, rodent feces and nests were found in eight outbuildings and two working or abandoned vehicles on their property, according to a March 5 environmental assessment, per CNN.

A live rodent, a dead rodent, and a rodent nest were found in the three detached garages, per TMZ. Live traps had been set up in the buildings, suggesting an ongoing infestation, according to the assessment, which was completed to ensure first responders and family who accessed the property were safe. The New Mexico Department of Public Health concluded the risk of exposure in the couple's primary residence was low, per CNN. However, cleaning or working in areas where rodent nests and droppings are present is known to increase one's risk for contracting hantavirus. (The virus killed three others in California this year.)