Sheriff Confirms Gene Hackman and His Wife May Have Died Weeks Before Their Bodies Were Found

February 28, 2025 TruthUSA

A sheriff in New Mexico stated on Friday that Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his spouse may have been deceased for several weeks, highlighting that the pills located at the scene raise significant concerns, while also acknowledging conflicting information about the situation.

Hackman, aged 95, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered at their Santa Fe residence on Wednesday, leading Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza to suggest they might have died several weeks earlier.

“Based on their bodies and other evidence, it seems they were gone for several days, potentially up to a couple of weeks,” Mendoza expressed in an interview with the “Today” show on Friday morning, when questioned about the timing of their deaths.

When queried whether Hackman and his wife passed away simultaneously in their Santa Fe home or if one preceded the other, the sheriff responded, “That’s quite challenging to ascertain. I believe the timing will be relatively close.”

“There’s no sign indicating that anyone was active in the house or behaving unusually, making it hard to determine if they both passed at once or how close their time of passing was,” Mendoza commented. “We’re piecing together that information and, with the help of the office of the medical investigator, the autopsy report will be crucial for this inquiry.”

Mendoza also mentioned that investigators are trying to establish the last occasion anyone saw or communicated with them.

“Constructing a timeline is quite challenging, even with the assistance of the medical investigator’s office,” he remarked, noting that Hackman and Arakawa, a classical pianist, were “very private individuals and family.”

In addition to Hackman and Arakawa, one of their dogs was also found deceased nearby, according to a search warrant affidavit. A maintenance worker alerted authorities after discovering their bodies at the Santa Fe home. The worker stated that the front door was open when he arrived for routine maintenance, as documented by a detective.

In a recording of the 911 call, the worker conveyed that he could see Arakawa lying on the floor through a window but was unable to enter the house.

During the interview, Mendoza highlighted that there are varying accounts surrounding the status of the doors—whether they were locked or unlocked—and mentioned that an investigation is ongoing. Several doors were noted to be unlocked and a back door was ajar, allowing two of their other dogs to come and go. He expressed suspicion that the front door was unlocked yet closed.

The affidavit indicated that their deaths were considered “suspicious enough to necessitate a thorough search and investigation due to the unsecured and open front door of the residence.”

Officials also reported the presence of an open bottle of prescription medication and pills scattered on a nearby countertop.

“Deputies found a healthy dog roaming freely on the property, another healthy dog near the deceased woman, a deceased dog located 10-15 feet from the woman in a bathroom closet, the heater displaced, an open pill bottle with scattered pills next to the female, the male victim in a separate room, and no apparent signs of a gas leak,” stated the search warrant.

A detective mentioned that there were no discernible signs of a gas leak, although he acknowledged that those exposed to gas leaks or carbon monoxide might not exhibit clear signs of poisoning. The warrant confirmed that neither individual showed evident signs of blunt force trauma.

On Friday, Mendoza emphasized that the pill bottle is “extremely significant” for investigators.

“That is certainly crucial evidence,” the sheriff noted, adding that “we are closely examining that and any other medications that might have been in the residence, as it raises concerns.”

Hackman, a five-time Oscar nominee, won the Academy Award for Best Actor for “The French Connection” in 1972 and for Best Supporting Actor for “Unforgiven” two decades later. He has also starred in numerous highly acclaimed films including “The Conversation,” “The Royal Tenenbaums,” and “Hoosiers.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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