Details of the shocking deaths of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa in their Santa Fe home emerged on Thursday, as authorities revealed that the couple had been dead and their bodies decomposing until they were found by a maintenance worker.
The body of Hackman, 95, was found in the mud room of the house, and Arakawa, 64, was found lying on her side on the bathroom floor with a space heater near her head, according to a search warrant affidavit from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department. Both bodies had signs of decomposition, with “mummification in both hands and feet,” it read.
An open prescription bottle and pills scattered near Arakawa’s body were discovered by authorities.
A dog was found dead near Arakawa nearby in a closet, and two other dogs were found alive on the property.
Despite these disturbing details, the sheriff maintained midday Thursday that there were no apparent signs of foul play and both Hackman and Arakawa’s causes of death remained undetermined. “Initial findings noted no external trauma to either individual” and “the manner and cause of death has not been determined,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
The sheriff department’s afternoon statement to the press largely echoed earlier reports: The couple was found dead at around 1:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday after an individual approached their residence on Old Sunset Trail to perform maintenance and, receiving no answer at the door, alerted security. Security then conducted a welfare check and called 9-1-1 after spotting their unconscious bodies through a window.
“Investigation personnel worked diligently throughout the night and morning to process the scene for evidence,” the sheriff’s office release read. “It should be noted there were no apparent signs of foul play.”
The statement continued:
“In the early hours of Thursday, Feb. 27, 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. 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.”
Detective Roy Arndt wrote in the search warrant affidavit that Arakawa’s body showed signs of decomposition, the affidavit said, as well as “mummification in both hands and feet.” The dead dog was found near her in a closet, and two other dogs were found alive on the property. Hackman’s body showed signs of death “similar and consistent” with his wife.
Two other dogs were also found on site and were apparently healthy — the Santa Fe County Animal Control Division worked with Hackman’s surviving family to ensure the safety of both animals.
Hackman’s daughters expressed their sorrow in a statement. “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy,” Hackman’s daughters Elizabeth and Leslie and granddaughter Annie told TheWrap in a Thursday statement. “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.”
Hackman, who was married to Arakawa since 1991, was nominated for five Academy Awards and won two during his 40-year career, including for classics such as “The French Connection,” “Mississippi Burning,” as well as huge Hollywood hits like “Superman.”
Hackman was found collapsed in his home’s mudroom while Arakawa was found in the bathroom. The criminal investigations division and the Santa Fe City Fire personnel and the New Mexico Gas Company were brought to test for carbon monoxide or other foreign elements. At approximately 9:30 p.m. local time Wednesday, the scene was secured and a search warrant was issued and executed on the residence.
“Investigation personnel worked diligently throughout the night and morning to process the scene for evidence,” the sheriff’s office release reads. “It should be noted there were no apparent signs of foul play. In the early hours of Thursday, Feb. 27, 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. 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.”
