Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead inside their New Mexico home with bodycam video capturing the couple’s beloved German shepherd by their side
Chilling footage taken from inside Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s residence shows their devastated dog keeping vigil over her lifeless body.
The bodycam footage, released today by US New Mexico police, reveals officers sifting through the secluded couple’s cluttered home. The German shepherd belonging to Gene and Betsy is seen anxiously gazing at Betsy’s lifeless body discovered in the bathroom of the Santa Fe property.
In the 11-minute clip, an investigator can be heard remarking: “Poor guy, he’s sad,” referring to the distressed pup. Officials have blurred out the musician’s body, but the house appears cluttered with stuff and unkempt.
A large pet crate was found inside a walk-in closet, where another dog was discovered dead on February 26. Heaps of clothes, documents and other items were strewn across various rooms within the dwelling.
Gene, 95, passed away from heart disease complicated by Alzheimer’s roughly a week after Betsy, 65, succumbed to hantavirus. Gene’s body was located in the mud room area.
An investigator noted in a report: “I observed the the male’s extremities to be red and purple in colour, the male appeared to be stiff, and his mouth was open. I also observed a pair of black sunglasses to the to the left on the male that were on the ground. To the right of the male, I observed a black-in-colour walking cane. It appeared as if the male suddenly collapsed.”
In the harrowing video, deputies can be seen cracking open doors and windows to ventilate the home, with one heard remarking: “It smells like gas.”
Although initial suspicions pointed towards carbon monoxide poisoning as the cause of death, this theory was later dismissed by investigators.
Autopsy results revealed that Betsy, an accomplished classical pianist, succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome around February 12, a rare and deadly disease transmitted through rodent droppings and urine.
Gene Hackman
Her husband Gene, whom she wed in 1991, passed away shortly after on February 18 due to severe heart disease, further aggravated by Alzheimer’s and kidney disease.
Documents shed light on some of Betsy’s final actions, including emails, phone calls, and web searches that suggest she was seeking information on flu-like symptoms and breathing techniques.
The release of these documents and footage came following a court decision that deemed most of them public record, with the stipulation that the couple’s bodies must be censored from any visual materials.
Gene, a native of San Bernardino, California, had a diverse acting career with roles dating back to his 1961 debut in Mad Dog Coll. He famously portrayed Lex Luthor, Superman’s archenemy, and a redemption-seeking coach in the beloved film Hoosiers.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
