Movies

What We Still Don’t Know About Gene Hackman’s Death

BBG News

A week has passed since the tragic discovery of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, deceased at their residence in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the probe remains active as additional details and queries surface.

In a mudroom close to his walking stick, the actor who won an Oscar at 95 years old was apparently found. Meanwhile, his wife, aged 65, was in an open bathroom near a space heater. This unfortunate incident was discovered by a maintenance worker during his regular upkeep of their house.

During a press conference held on February 28, Sherif Adan Mendoza stated that there seemed to be no obvious indications of wrongdoing. However, detectives from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office mentioned in their search warrant affidavit that they found the deaths to be unusual enough to warrant a comprehensive investigation and exploration.

According to Mendoza’s statement, Hackman’s pacemaker recorded its last event on February 17, which suggests that this could have been the day the actor passed away.

It came to light on Wednesday that authorities had initially mistaken the deceased dog discovered in Hackman’s residence, as previously reported by USA Today. Originally, they announced that a German Shepherd, owned by Hackman (named Bear), had passed away; however, it was Bear who managed to survive, alongside Nikita, another dog. The dog presumed dead was actually Zinna, the couple’s kelpie mix.

This news highlights that although some aspects are clear in the current investigation, much about their demise still remains unsolved or unclear.

Here’s what we still do not know about Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths.

Cause of death

At a news conference, Mendoza stated that neither individual exhibited any signs of external injuries during the autopsy. However, the cause or method of their deaths remains undetermined.

Mendoza confirmed that both individuals did not show signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. On March 4, the Sheriff’s office announced on their official Facebook page that while the New Mexico Gas Company identified five issues in Hackman’s home, including a small leak, these findings are not believed to have contributed to the deaths. However, this information was shared with the Office of the Medical Investigator for further review. (This version maintains the original structure and meaning but uses simpler language and more conversational tone.)

Foul play

During a press conference held on Friday, Mendoza stated that there were no clear or swift indications suggesting any form of suspicious activity in connection with the demise of Hackman and Arakawa.

Mendoza stated that while no definitive conclusions have been made, all possibilities, including potential misconduct, remain under consideration during the current probe.

Significance of the pills

At the scene, an empty prescription bottle for pills was discovered, and pills were scattered around where Arakawa’s body lay.

The Sheriff’s department hasn’t disclosed the type of prescriptions for the pills, the identity of the person they were given to, or if these pills have any connection to the reported fatalities.

During the press conference on Friday, Mendoza stated that the pills are crucial pieces of “evidential significance.” However, he emphasized that it’s up to the pathologists to decide if these pills played any role in their demise.

Timeline of death

According to Mendoza, the authorities discovered two mobile phones at the location, and the Sheriff’s Office is currently examining text messages, calls, and photographs to reconstruct the sequence of events that might have taken place.

Without any internal or external CCTV footage at the residence, as per Mendoza’s statement, such evidence could potentially assist in establishing a sequence of events (a timeline).

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2025-03-05 23:06

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