Additional Coverage:
Santa Fe, NM – Beloved actor Gene Hackman, 94, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 63, were found deceased in their Santa Fe home on Wednesday, February 26th, under circumstances that have prompted a thorough investigation by local authorities. A maintenance worker, who discovered the unlocked front door and a dog running loose on the property, placed the initial distressing 911 call. The worker, visibly shaken, reported seeing no movement inside the house from his vantage point outside.
Upon entering the residence, deputies found a complex and concerning scene. Ms.
Arakawa was found deceased on the bathroom floor with a space heater near her head and an open prescription bottle with scattered pills nearby. A deceased dog was also found in a nearby closet, while another dog remained near Ms.
Arakawa’s body. Mr.
Hackman was found fully clothed in a separate room, his glasses dislodged from his person, suggesting a possible fall. The condition of Ms.
Arakawa’s remains indicated she had likely been deceased for a period of time, exhibiting signs of mummification.
The numerous unusual details, including the unsecured entrance, the deceased dog, the displaced heater, and the scattered medication, led authorities to deem the deaths suspicious and warranting further investigation. While no official cause of death has been released, the ongoing investigation aims to clarify the circumstances surrounding this tragic event.