Gene Hackman, the two-time Oscar-winning actor, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were tragically discovered dead in their Santa Fe mansion. Authorities found their bodies in separate rooms, and one of their dogs was also found deceased. Hackman was 95, and his wife was 63 at the time of their passing.
Hackman’s daughter, Elizabeth, shared her heartbreak over her father’s sudden death. Speaking to TMZ, she expressed confusion, saying, “The house is fairly modern, built in 2000, but we don’t know if there were any issues with gas leaks or if there were any recent service calls to the property.” However, after ruling out a gas leak, investigators are still puzzled by the exact cause of death.
Gene Hackman’s body was found in a mudroom, while Betsy Arakawa’s was discovered in a bathroom next to a space heater. Although the Santa Fe sheriff’s office spokesperson, Denise Avila, confirmed there was no sign of foul play, detectives noted the deaths as “suspicious enough” to warrant a thorough investigation.
Pills were reportedly scattered in the bathroom, and the bodies were described as partially mummified, according to the Daily Mail. It’s believed that the couple may have passed away several days, possibly even weeks, before being discovered.
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Toxicology results are expected to take around three months to process. Investigators are still trying to determine when the couple was last seen or spoken to, with Sheriff Adam Mendoza explaining that this has been difficult due to the Hackman family’s privacy.
This tragic discovery has left many questions unanswered, but authorities are continuing their investigation to understand what happened.
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