Following the tragic deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa, new details have emerged from the investigation scene in Santa Fe.
According to reports from TMZ, a search warrant has revealed that Arakawa’s body was found in a state of decomposition, with signs of mummification on her hands and feet.
Detectives noted that Arakawa, 63, was discovered lying on her right side in a ground-floor bathroom, near a black space heater that appeared to have fallen from the countertop, suggesting she might have collapsed suddenly. Near her, an opened prescription bottle with scattered pills was found on the bathroom countertop.
The deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, were found to be "suspicious enough in nature" to require a thorough investigation, a search warrant issued in New Mexico says. One of their dogs was also found dead. https://t.co/xH2M2IGAup pic.twitter.com/afpKcbP23Q
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) February 28, 2025In the same residence, authorities also found the body of the couple’s German Shepherd in a closet close to the bathroom, approximately 10 to 15 feet away from Arakawa. Two other dogs were found alive, one inside and one outside the home.
Maintenance workers who discovered the couple mentioned that they had not seen Hackman or Arakawa for about two weeks and found the front door open upon their arrival. Police reported no signs of forced entry at the scene.
🚨 GENE HACKMAN'S DEATH: I Was Wrong. It's VERY suspicious:
-The front door to the residence was found ajar by two maitenence workers
-Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were found dead in separate rooms.
-Their bodies had been dead for some time- Arakawa was… pic.twitter.com/QSLmwBenwE
— Lauren Conlin (@conlin_lauren) February 27, 2025Gene Hackman was found fully clothed in a separate room off the kitchen. His glasses were found away from his body, indicating he might also have fallen suddenly.
New details have emerged about suspicious circumstances surrounding the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa, who were found by a maintenance worker visiting their Santa Fe home.
The maintenance worker called 911 when they found their bodies, Arakawa in the bathroom… pic.twitter.com/jSYjHNYVvx
— 10 News First (@10NewsFirst) February 28, 2025Given the suspicious circumstances surrounding their deaths, the lead detective secured a search warrant to conduct a thorough investigation of the property. While initial suspicions pointed towards carbon monoxide poisoning, preliminary assessments showed no obvious signs of a gas leak, and no issues were noted with the residence’s pipes.
