Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa’s deaths ‘suspicious enough’ for investigation as new information comes to light
Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s deaths have been deemed 'suspicious enough' for investigation as new information has been released.
The married couple were found dead in their Santa Fe home earlier this week on Wednesday (26 February) 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.
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.
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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."
Police said there was an open prescription bottle along with several pills scattered on the countertop near where Arakawa was found.
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.
In an application for a search warrant, Det. 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.
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.
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.
Topics: Celebrity, US News, Gene Hackman
Rhiannon Ingle