No cause of death has been determined so far for Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, but New Mexico police say the situation “remains an open investigation.”
With affidavits, search warrants and statements calling the death of the two-time Oscar winner, his wife and their dog late Wednesday “suspicious enough in nature,” the Santa Fe Sheriff’s office is reiterating Thursday that “there were no apparent signs of foul play.”
“Suspicious Enough”: Gene Hackman & Wife’s Deaths Probed By Cops; Scattered Pills Found, No Gas Leak
In a just released statement from the Sheriff Adan Mendoza-led department, the cops are making early findings public, with a lot still left to be determined.
“In the early hours of Thursday, February 27, 2025, Hackman and Arakawa were transported to the Office of the Medical Investigator,” the sheriff’s office said this afternoon, after the bodies were discovered in the early afternoon Wednesday Santa Fe time.
“An autopsy was performed. Initial findings noted no external trauma to either individual,” they added. “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.”
Earlier today, the local coroner’s office said it could be 4-6 weeks before a full report on the 95-year-old Hackman and the 63-year-old Arakawa is complete. Unlike in the aftermath of the Rust shooting in Santa Fe in October 2021, the sheriff’s office says Mendoza “will not be conducting interviews,” at least not anymore. at this time. Early today, Sheriff Mendoza went on TMZ spouting off a number of theories about what may have occurred in the Hackmans’ house.
With that, the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa become all the more complicated by what wasn’t addressed in the latest statement by the Santa Fe police. While the late Wednesday night affidavit for a search warrant on the couple’s property mentioned both bodies being on the floor of the house in different rooms and a “pill bottle being opened and pills scattered next to the female,” there was zero mention of that in this afternoon’s release.
The confirmation of “no external trauma” follows the affidavit from Detective Roy Arndt declaring “there are no immediate signs or indications of blunt force trauma” on the partially decomposed bodies and the dead dog in a closet near Arakawa. Arndt added in his February 26 affidavit: “However, Affiant is seeking to seize any blunt force objects in the event there is any indication of blunt force trauma once the Office of Medical Investigations arrives on scene; and conducts their initial field investigation and possible cause of death.”
On Thursday, the police shed a little more light on what went down when they arrived on the scene after being notified by two maintenance workers on Hackman’s property of one of the doors being open and bodies inside.
“A dog was also found deceased and two other dogs who appeared healthy were located on the property,” the Santa Fe Sheriff’s office said today. “Deputies then secured the scene and notified the criminal investigations division. Due to the unusual circumstances of two decedents in the residence there was a concern for scene safety. The Santa Fe City Fire personnel and the New Mexico Gas Company were requested to the scene to test for carbon monoxide or other foreign elements. The scene was deemed safe and at approximately 9:30 p.m. a search warrant was issued and executed on the residence.”
An Oscar winner for his work on 1971’s The French Connection and 1992’s Unforgiven, the last movie featuring the longtime Santa Fe resident was 2004‘s Welcome to Mooseport. Hackman and classical pianist Arakawa had been married since 1991. They had no children of their own but are survived by three children from Hackman’s first marriage.
