Gene Hackman was driving near home three months before his death: report

The long-time personal contractor for Gene Hackman and his wife has opened up about his shock upon discovering their bodies, saying that he had seen the 95-year-old actor driving near his Santa Fe, New Mexico home, just three months before his death, even though an autopsy showed that he had advanced Alzheimer’s disease.

Jesse Kesler, who worked as Hackman’s contractor and handyman for 16 years, was identified as one of two local workers who came upon the devastating scene at the couple’s sprawling home on Feb. 26, while helping do a welfare check, the Daily Mail reported. 

“To be honest, it was awful,” Kesler told the Daily Mail. “It was one of the worst days of my life, and I’ve had some bad days. To see someone like that … .”

Kesler told the Daily Mail that he had seen Hackman behind the wheel of a vehicle, driving near his home, just months before his body was found. He also appeared to be in good health, Kesler said. This impression may line up with what one of Hackman’s daughters told the Daily Mail and Us Weekly, shortly after his body was discovered, according to Page Six. She, too, believed her father was in “good health,”  though she also said his “memory was fading” and he had become forgetful. She also admitted that she had not seen him in several months because she lives in California.

Authorities believe Hackman died on Feb. 18, which was the last time activity was recorded on his pacemaker.

Last week, a New Mexico medical examiner revealed that the two-time Oscar-winning actor had died due to hypertensive atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease, with advanced Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor.

Tragically, Hackman was probably alone in his home for about a week after his 65-year-old wife, Betsy Arakawa, died on Feb. 11. Arakawa was believed to be Hackman’s sole caregiver as his health declined due to Alzheimer’s, the New York Times reported.

But authorities believe that Arakawa collapsed in a bathroom and died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare rodent-borne disease transmitted through exposure to rodent urine, droppings or saliva. Even more hauntingly, she had been seen hours earlier that day, running errands at a local grocery store and CVS pharmacy, her face covered by a mask, likely because of the virus growing in her lungs, USA Today reported. 

Adding to the tragedy was the discovery of one of couple’s three beloved dogs, Zinna, who also was found dead, likely due to dehydration and starvation. Zinna, a 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mix, was found in a dog crate, placed there after returning home after undergoing “major surgery” at a nearby veterinary hospital.

In his interview with the Daily Mail, Kesler expressed regret that he didn’t check on Hackman and Arakawa  sooner.

“I wish I’d gone in quicker,” Kesler said. “I might have been able to save Gene or the dog.”

USA Today reported that others who had recent contact with Arakawa also wondered if something was amiss. Arakawa, who managed the household amid Hackman’s declining health, had failed to pick up prescription dog food and medication for Zinna from the Gruda Veterinary Hospital. This was unlike her because she and Hackman were known to be dedicated to their pets. Staff from the hospital called to remind her on Feb. 17 that the food was ready but she didn’t pick up.

“She was devoted to those dogs,” Robert Gruda, the hospital’s owner, told USA Today. “She was consistent, predictable. We knew something was wrong when she didn’t pick up the food on time.”

Kesler told the Daily Mail that he had been in email contact with Arakawa several days before her suspected death, but then didn’t hear back, despite the fact that he and the couple were usually “in near-constant communication.” He said his Santa Fe-based company, Mud City Builders, “did everything” for the couple, ranging from new construction, renovations and maintenance.

When he didn’t hear back from Arakawa after several days, Kesler said he was concerned but thought there might have been a miscommunication.

“For the first week, I thought maybe she was mad at me. I thought I had done something wrong,” Kesler told the Daily Mail. An employee told him that he hadn’t heard from her either. Once Kesler decided something was off, he said he “started the process to determine what the hell was going on.”

Kesler told the Daily Mail that he wanted to gain access to the couple’s home, but he wanted to do it  properly by trying to get in contact with the couple’s family. Unfortunately, he and his employees were having trouble getting ahold of the Hackmans’ children.

“It was taking too long and, finally, I just couldn’t wait anymore. I just said, ‘the heck with it, I’m going in,'” Kesler said.

Kesler drove up to the security gate on February 26. He said he was about to go through the gate when a security guard, subsequently identified by authorities as Roland Lowe Begay, happened to pull up. Begay, who also had known the couple for years, joined him.

When entering the home, Kesler said he and Begay only got a brief glimpse of Arakawa before calling 911 to alert authorities. They later located Hackman’s body in another room. Begay’s voice could be heard in an audio recording of the 911 call.