Betsy Arakawa, wife of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, died from a respiratory illness linked to hantavirus, a rare disease transmitted by infected rodents, officials confirm.Health experts warn that hantavirus can cause flu-like symptoms after exposure to rodent droppings,

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa Hackman's causes of death have been revealed but the investigation remains open pending cell phone records and results from a necropsy of the couple's dog.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home last week in a gated community in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Tragic revelations, made Friday by authorities in New Mexico, resolve many questions raised by the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.