Legendary Hollywood actor Gene Hackman was found dead with his wife Betsy Arakawa and their dog at their luxurious home in Santa Fe, New Mexico on Wednesday (February 26)
Gene Hackman’s beloved dog was found dead in a closet near to their bodies.
The legendary actor, 95, was found dead at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico on Wednesday (February 26) with his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, and their dog. They were found deceased in separate rooms and appeared to have been dead “for quite a while”.
Their bodies were found decomposed and partially mummified. Police said they suspected no signs of foul play and a cause of death has not been confirmed but an investigation is ongoing.
One of their three beloved German Shepherd dogs was found dead in a closet just off of their bathroom, about 10 to 15 feet away from Betsy. The other two dogs were found alive and healthy and roaming the property, one inside and one outside.
Arakawa was reportedly found lying on the bathroom floor and Hackman was found in what appeared to be a mud room near the couple’s kitchen. A police warrant obtained by MailOnline revealed that Arakawa was “found decomposed with bloating on her face and mummification in her hands and feet” and that Hackman had the “same signs of decomposition as his wife”.
It’s believed the two-time Oscar winner may have died of a sudden fall as a walking cane was reportedly found next to his body as well as glasses. Last year, Hackman was seen looking frail and walking with a stick during a rare public outing with Betsy.
According to TMZ, cops have requested a search warrant for Hackman’s home as the deaths are “suspicious enough” to require a search and investigation. This is said to be because the front door of the property was open, but there was no sign of forced entry into the home.
The detective also noted that nothing seemed out of place inside of the mansion and that there was no indication that any belongings had been removed or rummaged through.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said there were no obvious signs of trauma to the bodies and that a suicide note had not been found. He said it seemed the pair had been “deceased for quite a while”.
Hackman’s daughter Elizabeth Jean Hackman said the family believe they might have died from carbon monoxide poisoning. However, she admitted they were not sure of this.
In a news conference on Thursday, Mendoza said: “There was no immediate sign of foul play. Haven’t ruled that out yet. This is an investigation, so we’re keeping everything on the table.”
Deputies went to the house, which the couple had lived in since the early 2000s, after a neighbour requested a welfare check on the couple. Their bodies were not formally identified until early on Thursday.
During his incredible acting career, Gene won two Oscars. The first was for Best Actor for playing Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in The French Connection, and the second was for Best Supporting Actor as “Little” Bill Daggett in Clint Eastwood film Unforgiven.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
