OAN Staff James Meyers
10:38 AM – Thursday, February 27, 2025
Legendary Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, and one of their dogs were all discovered dead in their New Mexico home — the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office told CNN. He was 95 years old.
The cause of death for the couple and pet has not been revealed, but a search warrant revealed that Arakawa, 64, had already been decomposing with signs of noticeable bloating on her face — as well as mummification in her hands and feet.
Sheriffs noted that Hackman’s body was also found to have the same signs of decomposition.
Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Denise Womack-Avila explained that deputies had been responding to a welfare check request at Hackman’s home at around 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, when they suddenly found the iconic actor, his wife, and their dog — all deceased.
The other two dogs were found alive. One dog was found outside and the other was found in the house, laying near Arakawa.
An ongoing investigation has since commenced.
A Medical Examiner’s report, which explains the findings of an investigation into a death that can include an autopsy report, a toxicology report, and other investigative reports, will “generally take anywhere from 4-6 weeks to generate,” said Chris Ramirez, spokesperson for the New Mexico medical investigator’s office. He stressed to the public that they must be patient in waiting for the results.
Meanwhile, the famous actor’s daughter, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, said that she believes the couple likely died from carbon monoxide poisoning. She told TMZ that the family suspects her 95-year-old father, his wife, and one of their dogs died from toxic fumes inside their home.
Despite no visible signs of trauma, Mendoza suggested that they could be victims of a double homicide, suicide, accidental death, or natural causes — though the “natural causes” theory is very unlikely.
Forensic expert and Fox News contributor Dr. Michael Baden noted that the deaths were “typical for carbon monoxide poisoning.”
“When a car motor engine is left on…and it isn’t properly turned off, carbon monoxide comes out of the exhaust and goes into the house. Dogs, or any other type of animal, and humans die. They don’t feel any type of pain, they don’t know anything’s wrong. It’s silent. Carbon Monoxide is painless, and they just go to sleep,” he said Thursday morning.
Hackman was known for his great performances in films such as “The French Connection,” “Hoosiers,” “Unforgiven,” and “The Firm.” The actor was known for depicting conflicted authority figures, or clever white-collar villains, including the evil Lex Luthor character in the 1970s and 1980s “Superman” film series.
He won an Oscar for playing a New York cop in 1971’s “The French Connection,” being described as a detective who gets the criminal — but at a major cost.
He ended up winning his second Oscar for his performance as the character “Little Bill Daggett,” the violent sheriff in Clint Eastwood’s 1992 film “Unforgiven.”
Hackman also got his big break in the 1967 film “Bonnie and Clyde,” a role he received after losing the part of “Mr. Robinson” in the famous film “The Graduate.”
In his younger days, Hackman served in the Marines. He initially struggled to make a living in California and New York, even while occasionally having a roommate, which ended up being “Graduate” actor Dustin Hoffman.
Hackman retired from acting at the age of 74 after doctors told him his heart condition could not take the entertainment industry anymore.
He had three children, whom he shared with his late ex-wife, Faye Maltese — who died in 2017.
This is a breaking news story. Please check for updates.
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