Sheriff reiterates ‘no foul play’ in deaths of Gene Hackman and wife — but cause of death remains unknown, suspect fled residence with… see more

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New Mexico authorities reiterated Thursday afternoon that there appears to be no sign of foul play in the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa, though what caused their deaths remains a mystery.

Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were each found dead in separate rooms of their Santa Fe home on Wednesday, Feb. 26. A German Shepherd they owned was also found deceased, while two other dogs were discovered alive and healthy on the property.

In a news release on Thursday, Feb. 27, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza repeated that there were “no apparent signs of foul play” at the scene, but nonetheless called the circumstances of the deaths “unusual.”

Arakawa’s body was discovered in a bathroom near an open bottle of pills with capsules scattered about, a sheriff’s deputy wrote in an affidavit for a search warrant reviewed by PEOPLE. The German Shepherd was found in a closet about 10 to 15 feet away.

Hackman was found in another room in sweatpants and a blue T-shirt, with a cane and a pair of sunglasses adjacent to him.

Both bodies displayed similar “obvious signs of death,” including “mummification” and bloating, suggesting they may have been dead for some time. Maintenance workers who first phoned 911 told deputies they hadn’t seen Hackman and Arakawa in approximately two weeks.

Making matters more mysterious, the local Fire Department and gas company found no immediate indication there was a gas leak or possible monoxide poisoning or leak, per the affidavit.

Hackman and Arakawa’s bodies were taken to the Office of the Medical Investigator in Santa Fe, where an autopsy was performed; investigators report there were no signs of “external trauma” after the initial probe, but no cause of death has been determined.

Full carbon monoxide and toxicology tests have been ordered for the pair, though results could take weeks to arrive.

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Sheriff Mendoza noted that animal control had worked with family members to ensure the safety of the two living dogs.

Hackman, who won two Academy Awards, married classical pianist Arakawa in 1991. He had three children with his first wife, Faye Maltese.

Known for his roles in films like The French Connection, The Conversation and Unforgiven, Hackman quipped to GQ in 2011 that he would like to be remembered as “a decent actor.”

  1. Why hadn’t his children called/checked on their dad?? The fact that maintenance people found them and it’s apparent they passed away a while ago??
  2. Why didn’t anyone realize that something was wrong sooner??? 💔

Reply by Mini.

  • Mi
  • Mini
  • 38 min ago
  • Reply to Onedayatatime
  • They were elderly, wealthy with an enormous house and didn’t have cleaning ladies come in regularly?

Comment by CaliforniaGuy.

  1. Ca
  2. CaliforniaGuy
  3. 2 hrs ago
  4. Crimson Tide was absolutely one of the best – legendary actor rip

Comment by Cynthia.

  1. Cy
  2. Cynthia
  3. 4 hrs ago
  4. Maybe he died and she overdosed either accidentally or intentionally and had the dog in a crate. Or she died of a broken heart after he died. It has happened when one spouse dies, the other one dies very soon after (although she is kinda young to have had that happened). You just never know.

Comment by tinLizzyBorden.

  1. ti
  2. tinLizzyBorden
  3. 5 hrs ago
  4. CNN reporting the deceased dog was in a crate, and with the time it takes for a body to mummify, it seems that the dog may have died from dehydration/starvation 😢 My thought was that they might have been letting the dogs out for the day, she has a medical event and tries to get meds/calls out, he tries to get to

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