What we know about Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa’s deaths amid reports of ‘mummification’
Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe home earlier this week on Wednesday (26 February).
The married couple's deaths have since been deemed 'suspicious enough' for investigation, with a search warrant from police in Santa Fe revealing that Hackman and Arakawa had been dead for 'some time' and were found in different rooms.
Where were Hackman and Arakawa's bodies found?
Hackman, 95, was found dead in a mudroom - a room designed for dirty or wet footwear and clothing - while Arakawa, 63, 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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The couple's German Shepherd dog was found dead in a bathroom closet near to Arakawa.
A portable heater, which was found near Arakawa's head, was believed to have been possibly brought down in the event that she abruptly fell to the ground.
Sunglasses and a walking cane were next to Hackman's body, with a detective suspecting that the actor had also fallen suddenly.
What condition were Hackman and Arakawa's bodies found in?
A sheriff's detective who responded to the scene said they believed the couple had been dead for some time because of Arakawa's 'decomposition' and 'mummification' in the hands and feet.
"The male decedent also showed obvious signs of death, similar and consistent with the female decedent," the search warrant added.
Preliminary findings from a medical investigation also found that the pair suffered 'no external trauma'.
A statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said: "In the early hours of Thursday, February 27 2025, Hackman and Arakawa were transported to the Office of the Medical Investigator (OMI).
"An autopsy was performed. Initial findings noted no external trauma to either individual."
The Sheriff's Office added that the official results of the post-mortem examinations and toxicology reports are pending.
What have authorities said?
Authorities have confirmed that foul play isn't suspected, although they haven't ruled it out. They haven't disclosed how the couple died.
In a news conference on Thursday afternoon (27 February), Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said: "It sounds like they had been deceased for quite a while, and I don't want to guess in reference to how long that was."
He added: "There was no immediate sign of foul play. Haven't ruled that out yet.
"This is an investigation, so we're keeping everything on the table."
What else did the search warrant reveal?
In an application for a search warrant, Detective Roy Arndt told a judge the circumstances of the couple's death were 'suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation' because the person who called emergency services found the front door of the property open.
There was no sign of forced entry into the home with nothing appearing out of place inside.
"There was no indication of a struggle," Mendoza told the media. "There was no indication of anything that was missing from the home or disturbed that would be an indication that there was a crime that had occurred."
Two other, healthy dogs were discovered roaming the property - one inside and one outside.
The fire department and the gas company were also called out to check for a natural gas leak, which could cause carbon monoxide poisoning, but they didn't detect anything, and there were 'no obvious signs of a gas leak', Arndt added.
Police said there’s no immediately clear cause of death, and also revealed that they have not discovered any kind of note or final statement.
Topics: Celebrity, US News, Gene Hackman
Rhiannon Ingle