Gene Hackman, 95, and wife Betsy Arakawa, 61, found dead at home alongside pet dog

Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, was found ‘mummified’ in their home, it has been claimed. The legendary actor, 95, and classical pianist, 64, were found dead in their Santa Fe house, alongside their pet dog. Local media outlet the Santa Fe New Mexican reported that County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed the sad news in the early hours of Thursday morning.

According to a search warrant obtained by TMZ, Arakawa was found in a bathroom and it appeared that she had been dead ‘for some time’, as her body was found in a state of decomposition. She reportedly had bloating in her face, and mummification in both her hands and feet, with their deceased dog discovered in a closet in the bathroom.

Hackman was found in a separate room, and was fully clothed at the time. The documents, via BBC, read: ‘The male decedent also showed obvious signs of death, similar and consistent with the female decedent.’. In a news conference on Thursday afternoon, the outlet reports that Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said: ‘It sounds like they had been deceased for quite a while, and I don’t want to guess in reference to how long that was.

‘There was no immediate sign of foul play. Haven’t ruled that out yet. ‘This is an investigation, so we’re keeping everything on the table.’. While there are not said to be any immediately concerns regarding foul play, the outlet reports that Hackman’s family believe carbon monoxide poisoning may be to blame.

His daughter, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, told the publication that everyone is unsure of what happened, but think the cause may be related to toxic fumes. However, TMZ reports that the fire department – and the New Mexico gas company – visited the property and found no signs of carbon monoxide leaks.

‘As of now, there are no signs or evidence indicating there were any problems associated to the pipes in and around the residence,’ the latter added, via the publication. It must be noted that a cause of death has yet to be confirmed, with investigations still ongoing.

A neighbor called in with concerns about their wellbeing, with officers performing a welfare check on their home, via ABC News. It was then that their bodies were discovered, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Denise Avila said. KOB4 reports that police were dispatched at around 1:45pm, with the sheriff’s office eventually identifying the couple in the evening.

An emotional caretaker could also be heard alerting the police to the situation in audio of the 911 call obtained by TMZ. Explaining the scene, he shared that he wasn’t inside the home but could see a body motionless on the floor. ‘Just send somebody out here really quick,’ he urged.

In an interview Wednesday evening, the sheriff said there are no immediate concerns about foul play, though he did not provide a cause of death. A statement from the sheriff, as reported by PA, reads: ‘We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail.

‘This is an active investigation – however, at this time we do not believe that foul play was a factor. ‘All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant.’. Three of Hackman’s children have shared a statement following his death, which read: ‘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.’. A legendary actor, Hackman received two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, four Golden Globes, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and the Silver Bear throughout his six-decade career. The couple had been married since 1991 and moved to New Mexico from Los Angeles in 2004. They were last seen out in the Santa Fe area together in February 2025.

Born in California in 1930, Hackman enlisted in the army after lying about his age at 16, serving for four-and-a-half years in the Marines before deciding to pursue a career in acting. Hackman appeared in countless iconic roles but will perhaps be best remembered for his two Academy Award Winning parts.

He won his first Oscar for the part of Jimmy ‘Popeye’ Doyle in William Friedkin’s thriller The French Connection (1971) and the other for Best Supporting Actor for his role as ‘Little’ Bill Daggett in Clint Eastwood’s Western film Unforgiven (1992).

His other Oscar-nominated roles were in Bonnie and Clyde (1967), I Never Sang for My Father (1970), and Mississippi Burning (1988). The versatile performer played over 100 roles throughout his career, including as Lex Luthor in Superman movies in the 1970s and 1980s.

He said his role in the 1973 film Scarecrow, alongside Al Pacino, was his favorite role of his career. He also starred in the hit movies Runaway Jury and Francis Ford Coppola’s The Conservation, which won the Palm d’Or, as well as Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums.