Hollywood actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have both been found dead in their home in the Santa Fe Summit
Gene Hackman’s daughter Leslie has broken her silence following her father’s mysterious death.
The legendary Hollywood actor and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead at their home in New Mexico on Wednesday, February 26. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed the tragic news, revealing that just after midnight the couple and their dog had died
The police said it is currently an active investigation but they do not believe that foul play was a factor at this time. They added two other surviving dogs were found at the property. While the investigation is still ongoing, some of his family believe carbon monoxide poisoning could be the cause of their deaths.
Gene’s daughter has confirmed that he was in good health before his death (
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Getty Images)
Gene and his wife Betsy were found deceased and decomposing in their home (
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NY Daily News via Getty Images)
A statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff in New Mexico said there is an “active investigation” was underway: “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.”
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Gene’s daughter, Leslie, 58, has now broken her silence on his sad death. Leslie said that the family are still processing what happened, before making the harrowing admission that “there was no indication that there was any problem” with her father prior to his death.
“Despite his age, he was in very good physical condition,” she told Mail Online before adding that her father did not have any major surgeries these last few months. “He liked to do Pilates and yoga, and he was continuing to do that several times a week. So he was in good health.”
Lesie added that because she lives in California, it had been a ‘few months’ since she had last seen or heard from her father, who had become reclusive in the latter years of his wife. Gene lived a quiet and private life with his wife Betsy, 64. “We were close. I hadn’t talked to them for a couple months, but everything was normal and everything was good,” Leslie shared.
Gene and his wife Betsy were found partially-mummified at the couple’s mansion, with pills strewn in their bathroom, reports have claimed. An arrest warrant has revealed that Arakawa, 64, was found decomposed with bloating on her face and mummification in her hands and feet. The warrant, obtained by Mail Online, also saw that Sheriffs said Hollywood actor Hackman also had the same signs of decomposition as his wife.
Gene and Betsy lived as recluses in recent years (
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Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
The couple had been married for 24 years (
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Getty ImagesTwo maintenance workers, Roland Lowe Begay and Jesse Kesler, arrived at a sprawling Santa Fe estate on Wednesday afternoon, only to stumble upon a grim discovery – the lifeless bodies of Arakawa and her husband, a former Hollywood actor. The time was 1:46 p.m. Mountain Time.
Authorities did not publicly confirm the couple’s identities for nearly 12 hours. Newly released details about the scene may shed light on why the information was initially withheld.
According to Begay and Kesler, neither of them had seen the pair in approximately two weeks. Evidence suggests they had been deceased for some time before being found.
Arakawa was located on the bathroom floor, near an open prescription bottle with pills scattered across the counter. Officials have yet to specify what type of medication was present or whether it belonged to Arakawa or her husband.
A space heater was positioned close to her head, and investigators are considering whether it may have fallen. Meanwhile, Hackman’s body was discovered in a mudroom near the kitchen, as detailed in the search warrant.
The Oscar-winning Superman actor was found fully dressed, with his sunglasses lying beside him – a detail that hints he may have collapsed unexpectedly. Emergency responders, including firefighters, were dispatched to the residence, but no evidence of a gas leak was detected.
Earlier on Thursday, Hackman’s daughter, Elizabeth, speculated that carbon monoxide poisoning could have been responsible for the deaths of her father and stepmother.
The Hollywood icon has died at the age of 95 (
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Getty Images)
Tributes have poured in for Gene and Betsy (
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AP)
One of their three dogs, a German Shepherd, was discovered lifeless inside a closet near the bathroom, approximately 10 to 15 feet from Betsy’s body. Initial reports mistakenly stated that the dog had died inside a kennel. The couple’s other two dogs were unharmed.
One of the surviving dogs was found near Betsy’s remains, while the other was seen wandering around the property. Investigators noted that the front door was ajar, but there were no indications of forced entry. The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department has ruled out foul play at this stage, though the case remains under investigation.
The 95-year-old actor had a career that spanned over six decades, with the star receiving two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, four Golden Globes, a SAG Award as well as the Silver Bear.
In his later years, Hackman lived a reclusive life – choosing to hide from the spotlight with wife Betsy and their beloved German Shepherd dogs. The actor was snapped outside a 7-Eleven store looking frail, carrying a coffee and an apple pie
