New details offer some insight into the moments leading up to the tragic deaths of Gene Hackman, his wife and their dog, who were found at their New Mexico estate. Recently, officials revealed the couple was found in the same building on the sprawling Santa Fe property, suggesting they died in a close “timeframe.”
On February 26, Hollywood was rocked by the tragic news that legendary actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found dead in their Santa Fe home. Their 12-year-old Australian Kelpie, Zinna, was also found dead, while two other dogs in the home survived.
Intriguing details
The search warrant application revealed some intriguing details about the discovery of the bodies, raising further questions about the circumstances surrounding the death of the couple and their dog.
When officers entered the home on Old Sunset Trail, they “immediately observed a bathroom to the left of the front door. The door to the bathroom was opened.”
Arakawa was discovered on the bathroom floor, “a black in color space heater near the female’s head,” and an open prescription bottle with scattered pills was found on the counter.
‘Attached to Betsy’
Zinna – who in the affidavit was wrongly identified as a German Shepherd – was also found dead, trapped in a kennel, “approximately 10-15 feet from the deceased female in a closet of the bathroom.”
In a statement released by Associated Press, Joey Padilla, owner of Santa Fe Tails pet care, said Zinna, the dog who died, “was always attached to Betsy at the hip and it was a beautiful relationship…Zinna went from being a returned shelter dog to this incredible companion under Betsy’s hand.”
Padilla – familiar with the couple and the dogs who were frequently boarded at his center – added that the couple’s two German Shepherds, 4-year-old Bear and Nikita, 7, survived and are in good care.
Pacemaker details
Upon further inspection of the home, Hackman, the star of the Mississippi Burning, was found on the ground of what’s “believed to be a mudroom,” a cane and sunglasses on the ground near him.
Both Hackman and Arakawa, who he married in 1991, appear to have fallen suddenly. Additionally, their bodies were decomposing.
Adding yet another layer of mystery to the case, carbon monoxide poisoning was ruled out and there were no obvious signs of foul play, said Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, suggesting the couple “had been deceased for quite a while.”
Later, he revealed that Hackman’s pacemaker recorded its last heartbeat on February 17, providing crucial evidence that indicates he may have died more than a week before his body was discovered.
This revelation raises concerns about what transpired in the days following his death – and how Arakawa may have spent her final moments.
‘Similar timeframe’
According to Dr. Michael Baden, a forensic pathologist, Arakawa was “agitated” in her final moments.
Baden suggests that Hackman likely suffered a fatal heart attack, prompting his wife to run to the bathroom to get his blood pressure pills. That’s when she spilled the pills, slipped and had the space heater strike her head.
“She may have struck her head on the way down and had some internal injury to the brain that doesn’t show up on the outside or bleeding in the inside of the brain,” Baden said of what be believes happened.
And, the closeness of the bodies on the massive estate supports this theory.
Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya told Fox News Digital that, while the exact time of death remains unclear, it is likely that Hackman and Arakawa died within a close window of time.
“Both bodies are in a similar manner, that it could be a similar timeframe,” Moya stated, leaving open the possibility that Arakawa’s passing may have been linked to her husband’s fate.
Moya did not respond to the call at Hackman’s home, but he revealed that the property “sprawled over 9,000 square feet and consisted of three structures.”
Family stays positive
While officials scramble to piece together the puzzle surrounding the mysterious deaths, Hackman’s family admits they’re not falling prey to speculation.
“We’re waiting on toxicology. That will tell us everything,” the actor’s nephew, Tim Hackman, told Us Weekly. “It’s hard to theorize. There are lots of theories out there and I don’t want to speculate. It’s easy to speculate negative theories.”
“The family wants to keep it positive for now and when we know the truth we will deal with it.”
As the world waits for more information, one fact remains: Gene Hackman was a Hollywood legend, and his passing marks the end of an era. With new details emerging daily, the March 7 press conference will be crucial in understanding what truly happened to Hackman and Arakawa in their final days.
For now, fans and loved ones alike can only reflect on Hackman’s extraordinary legacy – a career that will live on in the hearts of moviegoers forever.
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