‘According to the pathologist, I think that is a very good assumption that was his last day of life,’ said the Santa Fe County Sheriff said. "An initial interrogation was conducted of Mr Hackman's pacemaker. This revealed that his last event was recorded on February 17, 2025,” Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said at a press conference.
“I was advised that a more thorough investigation will be completed,” he added, but “according to the pathologist, I think that is a very good assumption that that was his last day of life.”. Authorities are still investigating what caused their deaths.
There were “no apparent signs of foul play,” the sheriff said. An autopsy noted “no external trauma to either individual,” but the manner and cause of their deaths have not yet been determined, Mendoza said. Both Hackman and Arakawa tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya previously said a gas leak could have “possibly” played a factor since the bodies seemed to have been found “several days” after their deaths. After obtaining a search warrant, authorities searched the home and found two cell phones, two bottles of medications, and a bottle of Tylenol. The sheriff said he was unable to share who the medication was prescribed to or what it was for, due to health privacy laws. Toxicology and more autopsy findings are pending.
Deputies also recovered a 2025 monthly planner calendar, but the sheriff said the contents of it would be part of the investigation. Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the couple’s home for a welfare check after they were contacted by neighbors. The neighbors had been alerted by someone who came to the home to provide maintenance work and grew concerned after receiving no answer at the door.
The pair were found dead along with their German Shepherd. The county’s animal control division ensured the safety of the couple’s two surviving dogs found at the home. It’s not immediately clear whether Hackman or Arakawa, a classical pianist, died at about the same time.
Authorities are still working to determine the couple’s last contacts. “One of the challenges has been trying to determine that timeline,” Mendoza said, given the couple’s privacy. The sheriff’s office plans to dig through the planner and cellphones to seek those answers.
Mendoza said that it was “difficult to determine” whether the two died around the same time. “There’s no indication that anybody was moving about the house or doing anything different, so it’s very hard to determine if they both passed at the same time or how close they passed together,” the sheriff added.
