Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found dead in their New Mexico home on Feb 26.
Gene Hackman was an Oscar-winning actor, best known for his roles in The French Connection and Unforgiven. Betsy Arakawa was a classical pianist.
The couple was reported via a 911 call from an individual identified as a caretaker at 2 p.m. In a public statement, the Santa Fe County sheriff’s office said, “Foul play is not suspected as a factor in those deaths at this time.”
Adan Mendoza, a Santa Fe County Sheriff, stated that there were no signs of a struggle or stolen items. He added that the couple had been deceased for quite a while.
Hackman was found on the ground in a room near the kitchen where he had been suspected of falling.
Arakawa was found with scattered pills around her body and a space heater by her head inside of a bathroom. There was an open bottle of prescription pills on the countertop, and their dog was found deceased in the bathroom closet. Two additional dogs were found alive on the property.
An autopsy has been ordered for the couple, including toxicology and carbon monoxide tests. While the sheriff’s office initially released a statement saying that foul play was not suspected, they said that they have not yet ruled it out completely.
The pathologist discovered that Hackman’s pacemaker reportedly stopped working on Feb 17. The Sheriff believes that it is a good indication of Hackman’s time of death. The autopsy results and medical examiner’s report with the final cause of death could take three months or longer, according to Sheriff Mendoza.
No signs of carbon monoxide leaks or natural gas leaks were found in an initial search. The front door was reportedly “open and unsecured,” with no signs of forced entry. A search warrant was requested to look for controlled substances, weapons, DNA, and other potential evidence.
In a search of the home, officers recovered thyroid medication, Tylenol, and diltiazem. Two green cellphones, MyQuest records, and other items have also been recovered, according to an inventory of items.
