A surprising development in the investigation into the deaths of Hollywood icon Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa is the admission by law authorities of an error at the crime scene. As additional information becomes available, investigators continue to unravel the mystery surrounding their death, leaving fans, friends, and family in the dark.
Police first thought there were no indications of foul play after the unfortunate discovery of Hackman and Arakawa’s remains at their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on Wednesday, February 27. A thorough inquiry is now necessary, though, due to further developments in the case. The pair was reported to have been dead for a long time when their bodies were discovered, and according to some accounts, their remains were partially mummified. In addition, one of the couple’s cherished dogs was found deceased within the house.
Known for his parts in Superman, Unforgiven, and The French Connection, Hackman was 95 years old when he passed away. He was a two-time Academy Award winner. Betsy Arakawa, his wife and partner of over thirty years, was discovered in another area of the house. She was a former concert pianist. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza has described the discovery of Arakawa in the restroom next to a bottle of prescription drugs as a “significant” piece of evidence, while Hackman’s body was found in a mudroom.
Hackman’s daughter, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, expressed her family’s hesitancy about the cause of the tragedy in the days after their deaths. One possible explanation, she thought, was carbon monoxide poisoning. According to Elizabeth’s explanation in an interview with TMZ, “The house is fairly modern, built in 2000.” “However, we’re not sure if there were any gas leak problems or if the property had any recent service calls.”
Carbon monoxide poisoning has subsequently been ruled out as the cause by investigators, though. Tests performed by the Santa Fe City Fire Department throughout the house revealed no indications of leaks or dangerous gas concentrations. In a similar vein, the New Mexico Gas Company conducted an independent examination and found no carbon monoxide.
Authorities looked over information from Hackman’s pacemaker in an attempt to piece together the chronology of events. Hackman most certainly died on February 17, more than a week before his body was found, since Sheriff Mendoza confirmed on Friday, February 28, that the gadget recorded its last heartbeat on that day.
A error in the original police report has been revealed in the midst of ongoing forensic investigations. The German Shepherd was initially identified by investigators as the deceased dog discovered inside the house. Because of this information, a lot of the couple’s close acquaintances thought that Bear, their beloved pet, had died with them.
But later on, an animal chiropractor who knew Hackman and Arakawa’s dogs attested to Bear’s existence. Authorities misdiagnosed the dog, and Zinna, a 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mix, was discovered dead in the house, according to a USA Today article. The discovery of this inaccuracy sparked fresh questions regarding the original investigation’s accuracy.
The Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Humane Society took control of the two dogs who remained, Bear and Nikita, after learning of their owners’ deaths. Despite the stressful situation, a shelter representative subsequently attested that both canines are in their care and are doing well.
Speaking about the confusion in their official report, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Denise Womack-Avila admitted that there might have been an identification mistake. In a statement, she stated, “I am unable to comment at this time regarding the condition or state of the dog’s body upon discovery, as our deputies do not deal with dogs on a daily basis.”
In addition to allaying worries about what happened to Hackman and Arakawa’s cherished dogs, this explanation brought attention to the difficulties investigators had in assembling the couple’s last days. Since their bodies were not found for a long time, there has been conjecture over what might have happened in their remote Santa Fe home.
The precise cause of death for both Hackman and Arakawa is still being ascertained by authorities based on toxicology and postmortem reports. Until these assessments are finished, which may take several weeks, law enforcement officers are hesitant about making firm judgments.
The deaths of Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman have rocked Hollywood and beyond. Even though Hackman stopped performing in the early 2000s, he was still a significant character in movie history. His last years were spent out of the spotlight, which only increased the mystery surrounding his death.
The iconic actor has been honored by friends and coworkers, who remember him for his peaceful, private life with Arakawa as well as his acting prowess on screen. Over the course of more than three decades, their romance remained strong and mostly out of the spotlight, making it one of the few Hollywood romances that did.
As the inquiry into their deaths continues, fans worldwide are still grieving the loss of a beloved wife and a movie icon. In the upcoming weeks, the circumstances surrounding their last moments will probably become clearer, as there are still many unresolved questions.
Peace be with you. Arakawa, Betsy, and Gene Hackman.
