Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in separate rooms of their Santa Fe home, with authorities revealing unsettling new details about the scene. What happened inside the couple’s million-dollar ranch-style home has left investigators puzzled as they await critical test results.
At a Glance
- Gene Hackman, 95, his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, and one of their dogs were found dead in their Santa Fe home
- The couple was found in separate rooms – Hackman in a mudroom and Arakawa in a bathroom with pills scattered nearby
- No signs of external trauma were found on either body, with carbon monoxide and toxicology tests pending
- Authorities deemed the deaths “suspicious” after finding the home’s door ajar, though no forced entry was detected
- The couple may have been deceased for weeks, with one body showing signs of advanced decomposition
Mystery Surrounds Scene Where Bodies Were Discovered
Authorities continue to investigate the mysterious deaths of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa after the couple was discovered during a welfare check when neighbors and a maintenance worker were unable to contact them. And strange details are finally being revealed.
The legendary actor was found in a mudroom of their Santa Fe residence, while his wife was located in a bathroom next to a space heater with pills scattered around her body.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office released a statement detailing their initial findings, explaining, “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.”
The circumstances have been labeled “suspicious” due to the home’s door being ajar, though investigators found no evidence of forced entry – even after the police initially said that they were not treating the incident as suspicious in any way.
Why did they say that when the facts were clear to them all along?
Unexpected death: Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, his wife and their dog found dead in their Santa Fe County, N.M., home.#GeneHackmanRIP #movies #film #cinema https://t.co/C3jHW06MIe
— David Forrest (@NewsForrest) February 27, 2025
Carbon Monoxide and Toxicology Tests Pending
The New Mexico Gas Company tested gas lines at the property but found no issues, though carbon monoxide poisoning remains a possibility investigators are exploring. One of the couple’s three German Shepherds was also found dead at the scene, while two others survived, potentially providing important clues about what happened in the home.
“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,” the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said.
Investigators believe the couple may have been deceased for weeks, with reports indicating one body showed signs of advanced decomposition. The couple was last seen publicly in March 2024, highlighting the private life they maintained in their Southwestern-style ranch home with views of the Rocky Mountains.
Hackman’s family released a heartfelt statement following the discovery.
“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,” wrote Hackman’s daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, along with granddaughter Annie.
The legendary actor won two Academy Awards during his illustrious career, earning the Best Actor Oscar for “The French Connection” in 1972 and Best Supporting Actor for “Unforgiven” in 1992. After retiring from acting in the early 2000s, Hackman maintained a low profile in Santa Fe, where he co-wrote three novels and served on the board of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.
