Gene Hackman and wife Betsy's haunting final days in squalor from love notes to dog's brave act

The world was left saddened by the deaths of and - and the conditions in which they spent their final days proved to be another grim shock.

The couple, who lived a reclusive life after stepping back from the bright lights of Hollywood, were found in a mummified state at their home on along with one of their beloved pet dogs on February 26. who had advanced Alzheimer's disease, died a week after Betsy, 65, and it's believed he may have been too confused to comprehend that his beloved wife was lying dead on the bathroom floor.

In the weeks since, new information has shed light on the couple's life at the end, including heartbreaking CCTV footage and an inspection that left health authorities alarmed.

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Eerie footage

Bodycam footage, released on Tuesday, shows police speaking with workers who had alerted authorities after spotting a body through a window. “Something’s not right,” one of them can be heard to state.

The 11-minute video also captures the cluttered state of Gene and Betsy's home, with one room containing piles of clothes, documents, and pictures. In other rooms, clothes were piled so high that they touched the ceiling, while a bathtub was seen filled with objects such as a fan, lamp and boxes.

Betsy's dressing table was completely covered with photographs of her and Gene together, as well as artwork, pictures of their pet and dozens of perfume bottles. Dog beds and mats were seen scattered across the floor of one smaller room, while cupboards appeared packed with documents, stuffed toys and body creams.

The dressing room contained heaps of clothing, including shirts, jeans, dresses and shoe boxes that were stacked very high and risked toppling over.

Loyal dog's final protective act

Gene and Betsy adored their dogs, who remained loyal to them even after death. A, the couple's seven-year-old German shepherd, Bear, was seen staring anxiously at her body as she was discovered in the bathroom of the property in Santa Fe. In the 11-minute video, one of the investigators is heard saying: "Poor guy, he's sad," in reference to the pooch watching over her lifeless body.

In one final act of devotion to their humans, Bear and Nikita, an Akita-shepherd mix, led paramedics directly to Gene's body. Although paramedics were able to find Betsy's body by themselves, they spent 30 minutes searching the house for Gene without success, until the dogs led the way.

At first, the crew assumed that Bear and Nikita had simply wanted to play when they kept repeatedly running up to them and barking. However, it became clear what the treasured pets really wanted when they led them to the mudroom at the far end of the house, where Gene's lifeless body was finally recovered.

Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya told USA Today: “They realised (the dog) was trying to say, ‘Hey, come over here! Come over here!’” Officers confirmed that Bear and Nikita, who were able to go in and out of the property through an open back door, were found in a "healthy" condition.

Sadly, the remains of a third in a bathroom closet close to where Betsy's body lay. It has since been confirmed that this deceased dog was Zinna, a 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mixed-breed.

Footage taken at the scene shows Nikita appeared "skittish because of all the commotion", running around and refusing to leave the side of her deceased owners. In the end, after treats and coaxing didn't do the trick, authorities had to set up an overnight door trap for Nikita to get her away from the property.

Touching love letters

Gene and Betsy remained dedicated to each other until their very end, with moving love letters found at their home shedding light on their enduring devotion. The couple, who married in 1991, had been communicating back and forth with touching handwritten messages, with Gene always signing his off with: "Love, G."

Gene also referred to his wife sweetly as "lovely girl", with one note reading: "Morning lovely girl, thinking of you and the other little guys. Love G." In another letter, Gene appears to reference his health struggles in a lighthearted manner, writing: "Ho, Ho, I am off to see the Wizard, the Wizz of Achie, Pokie.

"She stabs me here and stabs me there, she stabs me almost everywhere (almost). But I'll survive because after I am still alive. (But some times just barely). Love G." A third note read: "I'm going down to that building out past the hot water place where you sit, and do whatever it is that people are supposed to do in such a building - maybe I'll remember once I get down there."

Sad internet search

Betsy , one week before Gene. This rare, rodent-borne disease can result in a range of symptoms, including flu-like illness, , dizziness and severe respiratory distress, and it appears Betsy had been in her final days.

Open bookmarks found on Betsy's computer on February 8 and the morning of February 12 showed the musician had been looking up medical conditions related to COVID-19 and flu-like symptoms. At a press conference in March, Dr Heather Jarrell, chief medical examiner for New Mexico, stated that it was "reasonable to conclude" that Betsy died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome on February 11.

It's believed Gene died a week later on February 18, with his cause of death given as "hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributory factor". In a report, an investigator stated: "I observed the male's extremities to be red and purple in colour, the male appeared to be stiff, and his mouth was open.

"I also observed a pair of black sunglasses to the to the left on the male that were on the ground. To the right of the male, I observed a black-in-colour walking cane. It appeared as if the male suddenly collapsed."

Rat-infested home

One week after the tragic discovery was made, the New Mexico Department of Public Health conducted a full inspection of Betsy and Gene's hilltop mansion, which featured in the Architectural Digest back in 1990. The couple had painstakingly designed their home to their liking, bringing out various cultural influences and spending time selecting the perfect paint and furniture.

At the time of their deaths, however, the once enviable home had fallen into disarray, with health inspectors describing it as a "breeding ground" for the deadly hantavirus, according to TMZ. Dead rodents, faeces, and their nests were reportedly found in "eight detached outbuildings" on the sprawling estate, including garages, sheds and guesthouses.

Evidence of rodent infestation was also found inside two vehicles, with traps set throughout the outbuildings, suggesting this was a long-running issue. Although the main residence was determined to be “low-risk” with no active signs of infestation, the condition of the surrounding buildings led officials to conclude that this was a potential hotspot for hantavirus.

Forever homes for surviving dogs

After being rescued from the sad scene, the two surviving dogs were brought to Santa Fe Tails, a boarding facility owned by trainer and family friend Joey Padilla. Joey, who worked with Gene and Betsy's three dogs over a number of years, has since revealed that Bearm and Nikita have been split up and are now settling into life at their new forever homes.

One of the animals has been rehomed out of state, while the other was moved into a home in New Mexico. In a statement, Joey shared: "It is with great joy that, with the consent of the estate attorney, I and my staff at Santa Fe Tails have successfully found homes for the Hackmans' surviving dogs, Bear and Nikita.

"We went through stringent efforts to ensure the best homes were found, and the dogs have already begun settling into their new lives. We are all thankful for the concern and well wishes Bear and Nikita have received during their transition. It is our hope that everyone continues to wish them the best and honour their privacy so they can continue to heal."

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