Police Investigate the Passing of Gene Hackman and His Wife Betsy Arakawa – Details Unfold

Authorities are looking into the sudden and unexplained deaths of Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, in a quiet Santa Fe neighborhood.

Police have classified the deaths of legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, as suspicious after they were discovered dead inside their Santa Fe home.

The mysterious events, which also included the death of one of the couple’s dogs, are being looked into by authorities.

Two maintenance workers discovered the bodies after reporting that they had not seen them for about two weeks, according to TMZ. The workers found the front door open when they arrived and found the bodies. Authorities said there were no indications of forced entry, though.

According to a search warrant that TMZ was able to obtain, a Santa Fe detective wrote in an affidavit that he thought “the death of the two deceased individuals to be suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation because the reporting party found the front door of the residence unsecured and opened.”

A number of concerning details were disclosed in the affidavit. Outside, deputies discovered a healthy dog running loose, and they also discovered another healthy dog close to Ms. Arakawa’s body. Inside a bathroom closet, ten to fifteen feet away, a third dog was found dead.

Additionally, investigators observed that Mr. Hackman’s body was discovered in a separate room, a heater had been moved, and a pill bottle was open with pills strewn around Ms. Arakawa. According to the affidavit, deputies did not see any obvious indications of a gas leak.

According to reports, Mr. Hackman was found lying in the mud room, and Ms. Arakawa was found in the restroom.

When discovered, both were in comparable physical conditions. Mr. Hackman was discovered with a cane close by. He was dressed in brown slippers, gray sweatpants, and a blue long-sleeve T-shirt.

A pair of sunglasses was also placed to his left, the affidavit said. One deputy noted that it appeared Mr. Hackman had “suddenly fallen.”

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told The New York Times in a phone interview that no visible signs of trauma were found on either body.

Investigators also confirmed that no note was left at the scene. Sheriff Mendoza added that the search of the property was still ongoing as of Thursday, February 27, 2025.

The timeline of events remains unclear, but deputies believe the couple’s bodies had been in the home for at least a day before they were discovered.

According to TMZ, Sheriff Mendoza has not ruled out any possibilities, stating that the deaths could be the result of a double homicide, a suicide, accidental causes, or natural causes.

As the investigation progresses, new information has surfaced about how the bodies were initially found.

According to AP News, a maintenance worker discovered the couple during a scheduled visit to the home on Wednesday, February 26.

The worker reported that the front door was open when he arrived, which led him to contact law enforcement. However, during a 911 call, the worker said he was not able to enter the house at that time.

When the operator asked if the individuals inside were breathing, the worker replied, “I have no idea. I am not inside the house. It’s closed. It’s locked. I can’t go in. But I can see she’s laying [sic] down on the floor from the window.”

The maintenance worker and a second worker, who also spoke to authorities, stated they rarely saw the homeowners and had not had contact with them for about two weeks.

In the days following the discovery, authorities moved quickly to perform autopsies on both Hackman and Arakawa. The results provided the first glimpse into what may have led to their sudden deaths — and brought a new layer of clarity to the puzzling case.

Authorities have released initial autopsy findings after the sudden deaths of the Hollywood actor and his wife, revealing new details as the investigation continues.

The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office announced on their official Facebook page that after conducting examinations on February 27, 2025, investigators found no signs of foul play in the sudden deaths of actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 63.

While the cause of death remains unknown, investigators have ordered additional tests. Autopsies revealed no external trauma on either individual, prompting further examination.

They have requested carbon monoxide and toxicology tests, which could take weeks. The results may determine whether environmental factors or toxic substances played a role.

As reported earlier, the couple were found dead in their Santa Fe Summit home on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 26.

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Denise Womack-Avila said that Sheriff deputies arrived at Hackman and Arakawa’s home on Old Sunset Trail to respond to a welfare check request at around 1:45 p.m.

When there are worries about someone’s safety, law enforcement may conduct a welfare check, also known as a wellness check. To make sure the person is safe and not in difficulty, officers pay them a visit.

When the police conducted a welfare check at Hackman and Arakawa’s house, they discovered a couple and a dog dead. Santa Fe County Sheriff Mendoza confirmed just after midnight on Thursday that the two-time Oscar winner Hackman, his wife, and their dog had died.

Mendoza did not provide a cause of death or an estimated time of death for the couple, but he did say that there were no immediate indications of foul play.

While awaiting the clearance of the search warrant, the sheriff has also informed the public that he and his crew are now conducting preliminary investigations.

Additionally, he reassured the community that they were safe and that there was no immediate threat to them. Hackman, who had left the limelight, lived an adventurous life, experiencing a winding path before his Hollywood breakthrough.

His breakthrough performance came at the age of 36 in 1967’s “Bonnie and Clyde,” a part he secured after losing out on playing Mr. Robinson in “The Graduate.”

Prior to that, he battled to make ends meet in California and New York while serving in the Marines. The “Graduate” actor Dustin Hoffman was one of his housemates at one point. Hackman also worked as a doorman and a truck driver, among other vocations.

With roles in movies like “The French Connection,” “Hoosiers,” “Unforgiven,” and “The Firm,” Hackman entered the leading-man realm following his Hollywood debut.

The actor gave his characters depth and passion, frequently portraying conflicted authority figures or crafty white-collar crooks.

One of his most well-known roles is that of Lex Luthor in the “Superman” movies from the 1970s and 1980s. He displayed a combination of brilliance and danger in this part.

Hackman’s talent earned him two Academy Awards. His portrayal of tenacious New York police officer Popeye Doyle earned him his first Oscar in the 1971 film “The French Connection.” Doyle was a detective who paid a heavy personal price for his efforts to bring about justice.

In the 1974 film “The Conversation,” he had a compelling role as a surveillance specialist whose fixation turns into paranoia.

In 1992, Hackman won his second Oscar for playing Little Bill Daggett in Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven.” Daggett was a vicious sheriff who used harsh authority to enforce the law.

In addition to these films, Hackman played a variety of characters in dramas, comedies, and action movies from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s, including villains, heroes, and antiheroes.

He explained his reasons for quitting at age 74 in an interview with Empire. It was actually a stress test I did in New York that was the final straw.

He revealed, “The doctor told me that my heart wasn’t in a condition where I should be putting it under any stress.”

After retiring, he mostly avoided the public eye, only occasionally attending award presentations, in contrast to many in Hollywood. He continued to be permanently retired.

Regarding his personal life, Arakawa was working part-time at a California gym when Hackman first met her in the middle of the 1980s. The author and his wife soon moved in together and later settled in Santa Fe.

In a gated enclave with breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains, they bought a sizable ranch in the Southwestern style. Just north of Ten Thousand Waves, off Hyde Park Road, is where they live.

Hackman was a familiar presence in town and served on the board of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum during the 1990s.

Hackman concentrated on creating books in his final years. While he had three children from a previous marriage, he and Arakawa did not have children together.

They took in three German shepherds in 1999. Together, the couple loved to watch movies, especially independent, smaller ones.

Social media has been used by fans and celebrities to pay tribute to the late Hollywood legend. Oscar-winning filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola expressed his sadness over the extraordinary artist’s demise, stating that it was a time to honor a remarkable career as well as to grieve.

“Gene Hackman is a fantastic actor whose work is sophisticated and motivating. I honor his life and his achievements, and I grieve his passing,” he continued.

Edgar Wright, a director, responded to Hackman’s passing by writing, “The greatest.” In a statement, George Takei referred to Hackman as “one of the true giants of the screen.”

“Gene Hackman could portray anyone, and you could sense a whole life behind it,” he continued. He can be an imposing figure or just a regular Joe, everyone and nobody. He was an extremely powerful actor.