Gene Hackman, his wife, and his dog were discovered at their New Mexico house, and new information sheds some light on the events leading up to their awful deaths. The pair was discovered in the same structure on the expansive Santa Fe property, according to officials, indicating that they passed away within a short “timeframe.”
The devastating news of the discovery of the bodies of iconic actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, in their Santa Fe home stunned Hollywood on February 26. Zinna, their 12-year-old Australian Kelpie, was also discovered dead, but two other dogs in the house made it out alive.
Interesting information
Further inquiries concerning the circumstances behind the couple’s and their dog’s deaths were prompted by the search warrant application, which provided some fascinating facts regarding the bodies’ discovery.
A restroom to the left of the front entrance was the first thing officers noticed when they arrived at the house on Old Sunset Trail. They opened the bathroom door.
They found an open prescription bottle with tablets all over it on the counter, “a black in color space heater near the female’s head,” and an arawak on the bathroom floor.
Zinna, who was mistakenly labeled as a German Shepherd in the affidavit, was also discovered dead, confined in a cage “approximately 10-15 feet from the deceased female in a closet of the bathroom.”
Zinna, the deceased dog, “was always attached to Betsy at the hip and it was a beautiful relationship,” according to a statement obtained by the Associated Press from Joey Padilla, owner of Santa Fe Tails pet care. Betsy transformed Zinna from a reclaimed shelter puppy into this amazing friend.
The pair’s two German Shepherds, Bear, 4, and Nikita, 7, survived and are in good health, Padilla, who was acquainted with the couple and the dogs who were often housed at his facility, added.
Information about the pacemaker
Hackman, the Mississippi Burning star, was discovered on the floor of what is “thought to be a mudroom,” along with a cane and sunglasses, when the house was further examined.
Arakawa, whom Hackman married in 1991, and Hackman both seem to have fallen out of grace. Then their bodies were decaying, too.
Update and info on the 3 Dogs that belonged to Gene Hackman and his Wife Betsy Arakawa. Photo of Betsy a and a dog is of the dog, Zinna that also passed away. https://t.co/bSQmSysjD3
— Linda Quincy Adams (@LindaQuinc89294) March 5, 2025
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza added another layer of intrigue to the case by stating that carbon monoxide poisoning was ruled out and that there were no overt indications of foul play, implying that the couple “had been deceased for quite a while.”
He then disclosed that Hackman’s pacemaker captured his final heartbeat on February 17, offering vital proof that suggests he might have passed away over a week before his body was found.
Concerns concerning what happened in the days after his passing and how Arakawa might have spent her last hours are raised by this revelation.
“Similar period”
Arakawa was “agitated” in her last minutes, according to forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden.
Baden speculates that Hackman’s wife rushed to the toilet to retrieve his blood pressure medication after he most certainly had a deadly heart attack. She slipped and dropped the tablets, which caused the space heater to hit her skull.
“She might have hit her head while descending and suffered internal brain damage that isn’t visible from the outside or internal bleeding,” Baden said of what he thinks transpired.
Additionally, this view is supported by the bodies’ near proximity on the enormous estate.
Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, led quiet, art-filled lives in Santa Fe for years before their bodies were discovered in different rooms in their home there this week. https://t.co/pq4XF4f0ob
— New York Times Arts (@nytimesarts) February 28, 2025
According to Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya, who spoke to Fox News Digital, Hackman and Arakawa most likely passed away within a short period of time, even though the precise moment of death is still unknown.
Moya said, “Both bodies are in a similar manner, that it could be a similar timeframe,” raising the probability that Arakawa’s death was connected to her husband’s demise.
When called at Hackman’s house, Moya did not answer, but he disclosed that the property “spread over 9,000 square feet and consisted of three structures.”
The family remains upbeat
As authorities work to solve the enigma surrounding the unexplained deaths, Hackman’s family acknowledges they are avoiding conjecture.
We’re awaiting toxicology. That will tell us everything,” Tim Hackman, the actor’s nephew, told Us Weekly. It is difficult to theorize. I’d rather not speculate on the many hypotheses that are out there. Speculating about negative theories is simple.
“We will deal with it once we know the truth, but for now, the family wants to keep things positive.”
While the world awaits further details, one thing is certain: Gene Hackman was a Hollywood icon, and his death signifies the end of a period. Understanding what actually happened to Hackman and Arakawa in their last days will depend on the March 7 news conference, as new information is being revealed every day.
