The investigation into the mysterious deaths of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, it’s clear that while authorities are uncovering some answers surrounding their passing — there are plenty of unknowns.
Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 64, were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home on Wednesday, February 26, along with one of their three dogs. The other two animals were found alive and still on the property.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy,” read a statement from Hackman’s rep, on behalf of his family. “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.”
Hackman is survived by his three adult children, Christopher, Elizabeth and Leslie, from his first marriage to late ex-wife Faye Maltese.
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There has not yet been any reason to suspect foul play in their deaths, but the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department has still not been able to rule it out or announced a cause of death and has determined that the situation surrounding their deaths is suspicious enough to warrant a “thorough investigation.”
As authorities continue to seek answers, keep scrolling for some of the biggest questions — and some possible answers — regarding Hackman and Arakawa’s passing.
How Did Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa Die?
The one question above all is simply how this happened — and there are very limited answers pointing to why, but a slew of information ruling out some of the arguably more obvious possibilities.
According to authorities, there was no sign of forced entry at the home and no sign of any sort of struggle, just two human bodies and a pet that appeared to suddenly die. Hackman’s daughter Elizabeth initially suspected carbon monoxide poisoning, but the fire department on-scene found no signs of a leak, according to an investigation affidavit.
During a Friday, February 28, press conference, County Sheriff Adan Mendoza announced that both Hackman and his wife “tested negative for carbon monoxide,” likely ruling it out as a possible cause of death.
A gas poisoning of some kind is not ruled out entirely, however, as Mendoza noted on Friday that the pathologist assigned to the case “would be the one to rule out the poisonous gas as the cause of death,” per NBC.
Arakawa’s body was found in a bathroom with a space heater above her head. Next to her body was an opened bottle of prescription pills scattered on the floor. According to a search warrant, Tylenol, an unspecified thyroid medication and diltiazem — a medication used to treat high blood pressure — were found by the authorities.
Hackman’s body was then found on the ground near the kitchen in a similar condition — a pair of sunglasses and the actor’s walking cane were lying next to him, suggesting he experienced a sudden fall. According to authorities, neither Hackman or Arakawa’s bodies showed any signs of external trauma — meaning it is unlikely that either died as a result of a violent fall — and there were no immediate signs of foul play.
Hackman’s daughter Leslie told Us Weekly exclusively that her famous father was generally in “good health,” although his memory was fading. “But everyone was ok.” Calling the deaths of Hackman and her stepmother Arakawa “very strange,” Leslie, 58, said there was “no indication of any problem in their house…There’s never been an issue.”
State Office of the Medical Investigator spokesperson Chris Ramirez said a final cause of death may take anywhere from four to six weeks to complete, per CNN. Mendoza told NBC a toxicology report could take even longer — three months or more.
When Did They Die?
During Friday’s press conference, Mendoza shared that Hackman’s pacemaker showed that the actor’s “last event” was recorded on February 17.
“According to the pathologist, I think that is a very good assumption, that that was his last day of life,” the sheriff explained.
Arakawa’s body “showed obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mummification (sic) in both hands and feet,” according to the affidavit, indicating that she had died at least two weeks prior to their bodies being discovered.
Arakawa’s mother’s longtime housekeeper, Keiko, told the Daily Mail in an interview published on Friday, February 28 that Arakawa had not called to check in on her mother in months.
“Last time she called was October,” she explained. “We were thinking, what happened.”
Hackman’s pacemaker recording does not reveal, however, if Arakawa died on the same day as Hackman, though Mendoza believes the timelines of their deaths were likely “very close.” On Friday, he reiterated that determining who died first is a “very hard determination to make,” adding that he doesn’t believe that even a medical examiner “could make that determination based on the initial autopsy.”
“There was 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,” he said.
Why Did It Take So Long For Their Bodies to Be Found?
After maintenance workers found the bodies, they said they had not heard from Hackman and Arakawa in approximately two weeks.
A caller told 911 they could see two unconscious people through a window but could not enter the home, according to the call obtained by Us.
“No, dude, they’re not moving,” the caller said in the recording. “Just send somebody out here really quick.”
One possible reason why their bodies were not immediately found may very well be due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the couple’s longtime friends, Daniel and Barbara Lenihan, “Arakawa took measures like masking to ensure that her husband wouldn’t get sick,” per CNN, and “because of their health concerns following the COVID-19 pandemic” the couple “had seen less of” Hackman and Arakawa “in the last few years.”
“Until a year ago, he was still riding his bicycle, and Betsy had him doing yoga and different things at home on Zoom and trying to stay very fit, and she fed him very well,” she told the publication. “They were so delightful to be around. Probably never seen a couple that got along and enjoyed each other so much.”
According to Mendoza, Hackman and Arakawa were “very private individuals and a private family,” and the pair had not been seen in public since March 2024, also contributing to the delay in their bodies’ discovery.
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What Else Are Authorities Investigating?
Mendoza described the prescription pills found near Arakawa’s body as “important evidence” for both the pathologist and the medical examiner in terms of determining a cause and manner of death.
In addition to the medication, authorities also retrieved several items from the couple’s home to aid them in their ongoing investigation, including two green cellular devices, records from MyQuest – a medical diagnostics service — and a monthly planner for the year 2025, according to the affidavit.
How the aforementioned will aid authorities in their search for the cause of death is not entirely clear. According to CNN, security logs for the couple’s gated community could help aid investigators in determining who was coming and going around the estimated time of the couple’s death.
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Why Was Only 1 of Their 3 Dogs Killed?
One of the family’s three German Shepherds was found dead approximately 10 to 15 feet away from Arakawa’s body in a dog crate, though it was initially reported that the German Shepard was found in a closet.
The pair’s other two canines were found alive outside the home and are now in the care of Santa Fe Animal Control.
If some type of toxin had leaked into the house, it would make sense that the dog who was inside would have died, while the two outside survived. The sheriff’s office said it could perform an autopsy on the deceased dog if the results of Hackman and Arakawa’s autopsies necessitate it.
