Ms. Arakawa, the wife of the actor Gene Hackman, died from the effects of a disease often caused by contact with droppings from infected rodents.

Betsy Arakawa, a classical pianist and the wife of actor Gene Hackman, died of hantavirus, according to authorities.

Betsy Arakawa — the classical pianist married to Gene Hackman — died last month of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare infectious disease linked to rodents, New Mexico authorities announced Friday.

According to a report published by the Daily Mail on Thursday, March 13, Hackman left his $80 million fortune to his late wife and successor trustee, Betsy Arakawa, whose death preceded his by one week. It’s unclear if anyone else’s names were listed in Hackman’s will.

The partially mummified bodies of Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered in February at their home in New Mexico.

Betsy Arakawa died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome at the age of 65, New Mexico health authorities said. Here’s what to know about the rare but deadly disease.

Betsy Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare rodent-spread disease with a mortality rate up to 50% in the American Southwest, officials said.

Hantavirus comes from contact with rodents — such as rats and mice — especially after exposure to their urine, droppings, and saliva.

The suspected way Gene Hackman's wife, Betsy Arakawa, caught the rare disease that led to her death has been revealed.