Doc: Hackman wife called me day after police say she died

Pianist Betsy ‘phoned local clinic on February 12’

- LUCY NEEDHAM

A DOCTOR says Gene Hackman’s wife cannot have died on the day police think, because she phoned him the day after.

The bodies of Hollywood legend Gene, 95, and 65-year-old Betsy Arakawa were found at their home on February 26.

Pianist Betsy is thought to have died from rare rodent-borne lung disease hantavirus days before her husband, who had advanced Alzheimer's.

Police put her date of death at February 11 but Dr Josiah Child said: “Mrs Hackman didn't die on February 11 because she called my clinic on February 12.”