Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 68, were found dead at their home in Sante Fe, New Mexico after a maintenance worker spotted one of the bodies through a window
Cops have given an update on the tragic deaths of silver screen legend Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa. The pair were discovered lifeless in their Santa Fe, New Mexico abode, leaving a cloud of mystery over their demise.
As the investigation unfolds, a maintenance worker’s routine visit turned grim when they spotted one of the bodies through a window. Sheriff Adan Mendoza addressed the media today, revealing that both Gene and Betsy showed no signs of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Delving deeper, Mendoza shared: “An initial interrogation was conducted of Mr. Hackman pacemaker. This revealed that his last event was recorded on February 17, 2025, I was advised that a more thorough investigation will be completed that’ll conclude my statement.”
The sequence of their deaths remains unclear, with no CCTV footage to aid the probe. “There is no surveillance as we know it right now, in in in the interior of the residence or the exterior of the residents,” Mendoza stated.
Police will also not be releasing the names of the pills found with Betsy. He commented: “We’re going to go through the planner. We’re contacting workers, maintenance workers, family members, security. We’re going to be talking to security. There’s in and out that’s, I believe, is documented. So we’re working with them to try to determine, you know, when the last contact was, and that’ll help us put together that timeline,” reports the Mirror.
The Sheriff added: “An autopsy was performed. Initial findings noted no external trauma to either individual. The manner and cause of death has not been determined. The official results of the autopsy and toxicology reports are pending.”
Earlier this week, police discovered two ‘mummified’ bodies and also that of a deceased dog. Two surviving dogs were found – one in the house and one in the garden. The police are now investigating due to a multitude of reasons including a number of puzzling observations at the house.
These include an “unsecured and opened door, (how) deputies observed a healthy dog running loose on the property, another healthy dog near the deceased female, a deceased dog laying 10-15 feet from the deceased female in a closet of the bathroom, the heater being moved, the pill bottle being opened and pills scattered next to the female, the male decedent being located in a separate room of the residence, and no obvious signs of a gas leak.”
An initial post-mortem examination revealed no “external trauma” on the bodies, with carbon monoxide and toxicology tests still in the works. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office released a statement saying: “In the early hours of Thursday, February 27 2025, Hackman and Arakawa were transported to the Office of the Medical Investigator.
An autopsy was performed. Initial findings noted no external trauma to either individual. Carbon monoxide and toxicology tests were requested for both individuals. The manner and cause of death has not been determined. The official results of the autopsy and toxicology reports are pending. This remains an open investigation.”
Gene’s family, including daughters Elizabeth and Leslie, and granddaughter Annie, shared their heartache in a statement.
They expressed their grief, stating: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy. He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
The Santa Fe County Sheriff in New Mexico confirmed there’s an “active investigation” into the couple’s demise, adding: “We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail. This is an active investigation – however, at this time we do not believe that foul play was a factor.”
Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
