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Legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa , were allegedly targeted by a mysterious man in the months leading up to their untimely deaths.
New bodycam footage obtained by Fox News Digital features an interview with Betsy's hairstylist, Christopher, who detailed alarming incidents where the couple was followed and approached by a strange man.
Christopher described Betsy as appearing "frazzled" when she recounted being followed on two separate occasions by a man she had never seen before.
The first incident occurred in December when the Hackmans drove to White Rock for lunch. They reportedly noticed the man's vehicle trailing them from outside their gated community all the way to the restaurant.
"She mentioned to me that there was a man that had parked outside of their gate and followed them," Christopher revealed to law enforcement.
"On two separate occasions. One occasion is when they went to White Rock. They went and had lunch there and the guy followed them from parked [outside of their gated community], followed them all the way to White Rock."
When the man approached the couple at White Rock, he allegedly carried a folder filled with photos of Gene Hackman, asking for autographs. Betsy confronted him, demanding respect for their privacy.
The harassment didn't end there. During a separate encounter, the same man reportedly followed them to another location and offered them a bottle of wine, which they declined.
Christopher expressed his concern over Betsy's decision to approach the man, warning her about the potential dangers. "He knew what [they] drove. That's the scary part," he added.
Legal Battle Over Privacy Intensifies
In the wake of their deaths, the Hackman estate, represented by lawyer Kurt Sommer, filed a petition in the state District Court in Santa Fe, seeking to prevent the release of any footage or photographs related to their deaths.
Sommer argued that releasing the images would violate the couple's right to privacy and could cause irreversible harm.
Citing the case of Kurt Cobain, where a court refused to release "death-scene" photographs, Sommer contended, "During their lifetime, the Hackmans placed significant value on their privacy and took affirmative, vigilant steps to safeguard their privacy."
A temporary restraining order was granted, blocking the release of images showing the bodies of Gene Hackmanand Betsy Arakawa, as well as footage from their residence. Additionally, the Office of the Medical Investigator is prohibited from disclosing autopsy reports until the matter is resolved, with a hearing scheduled for March 31.
Cause of Deaths Confirmed
According to New Mexico officials, Betsy Arakawa Hackman died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare but deadly virus transmitted through rodent droppings.
Meanwhile, Gene Hackman succumbed to hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with advanced Alzheimer's disease listed as a significant contributing factor.
The eerie encounters with the mysterious man remain unexplained, leaving more questions than answers about the unsettling final months of the beloved couple.