Rhiannon Ingle
More details surrounding Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa's death have now been revealed after the married couple were found dead in their Santa Fe home on Wednesday (26 February).
A search warrant from police in Santa Fe has now revealed that Hackman and Arakawa had been dead for 'some time' and were found in different rooms.
Hackman was found dead in a mudroom - a room designed for dirty or wet footwear and clothing - while Arakawa was found dead in a bathroom.
Police said there was an open prescription bottle along with several pills scattered on the countertop near where Arakawa was found.
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Authorities has confirmed that foul play isn't suspected, but they haven't disclosed how the couple died.
An initial statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff in New Mexico previously said there was an 'active investigation' into the death stating: "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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According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said in an interview that there was no immediate indication of foul play in the pair's death.
"All I can say is that we're in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant," Mendoza stated.
He added: "I want to assure the community and neighbourhood that there's no immediate danger to anyone."
The tragic news came a year after the pair were last spotted in public together, having gone over two decades before that without being seen.
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Hackman, who enjoyed a decade-spanning Hollywood career earning earning two Academy Awards and four Golden Globes, and classical pianist Arakawa tied the knot in 1991.
In the 1980s, the pair packed up their belongings and left La La Land for the peace and quiet of New Mexico before Hackman eventually announced he was retiring from showbiz.
"I haven't held a press conference to announce retirement, but yes, I'm not going to act any longer," he told Reuters in 2008. "I really don't want to do it any longer."
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Since then, the couple had kept to themselves with Arakawa in particular being extremely private with no known social media or interviews about herself or her love life - something which Hackman said influenced their decision to live in Santa Fe.
"Where we live, in Santa Fe, you can lead your own life and not be bothered by the latest gossip," he told the Irish Independent back in 2000.
While Hackman and Arakawa don't have children together, she was the stepmother to the Heartbreakers star's three children from his previous marriage to Faye Maltese.
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"It's tough being the son or daughter of a celebrity," Hackman continued. "I couldn't always be home with them when they were growing up and then, living in California, they've had my success always hanging over their heads."