Authorities are set to release new details regarding the investigation into the deaths of legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, whose partially mummified bodies were discovered last month at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office has ruled out foul play, and tests for carbon monoxide poisoning returned negative results. Sheriff Adan Mendoza, along with state fire, health, and forensics officials, will hold a news conference Friday afternoon to share updates.
Investigators believe the couple may have died up to two weeks before they were found on February 26. Hackman’s pacemaker last registered activity on February 17, nine days before security and maintenance workers discovered the scene and contacted authorities.
Arakawa was found in the bathroom with an open prescription bottle and scattered pills nearby, while Hackman was found in the home’s entryway. One of their three dogs was discovered dead in a crate in a bathroom closet, while the other two survived. Authorities are analyzing personal items, including a monthly planner and two cellphones, while toxicology reports are still pending.
Due to Santa Fe’s high elevation and dry climate, the bodies had begun decomposing with some mummification.
Hackman, a two-time Oscar-winning actor known for The French Connection, Hoosiers, and Superman, retired from Hollywood in the early 2000s, dedicating his later years to painting and writing. Arakawa, a trained concert pianist, met Hackman in the 1980s while working at a California gym.
The couple resided in a secluded, Pueblo-revival style home in a gated community at the southern tip of the Rocky Mountains. Known for their privacy, they were active in the Santa Fe community, investing in local businesses and supporting the arts.
More details on the case are expected following the Friday press conference.
