Investigation Into Gene Hackman And Wife’s Deaths Becomes Complex

Authorities in New Mexico have yet to determine the official cause of death for legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.

However, the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that neither Gene Hackman nor his wife showed signs of external trauma, though the case remains an open investigation.

In a statement released Thursday, Sheriff Adan Mendoza’s office reiterated that while the deaths of the "French Connection" and "Unforgiven" star, his wife, and their dog on Wednesday were considered “suspicious enough in nature” to warrant search warrants and affidavits, “there were no apparent signs of foul play.”

Authorities discovered the bodies in the early afternoon on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, after two maintenance workers noticed an open door on Hackman’s property and reported it to police. The bodies of the 95-year-old Oscar winner and his 63-year-old wife were found in separate rooms, while a deceased dog was located in a closet near Arakawa. Two other dogs, both healthy, were also found on the property.

Hackman and Arakawa’s bodies were transported to the Office of the Medical Investigator early Thursday morning, where autopsies were conducted.

“Initial findings noted no external trauma to either individual,” the sheriff’s office stated. They also confirmed that “carbon monoxide and toxicology tests were requested for both individuals,” though the results are still pending. Officials have warned that full autopsy and toxicology reports could take up to six weeks.

Despite the confirmation that no external injuries were found, the investigation remains complicated. Earlier affidavits noted “no immediate signs or indications of blunt force trauma” but still authorized authorities to seize any blunt objects in case further examination suggested otherwise.

Additionally, a late Wednesday affidavit for a search warrant stated that both Hackman and Arakawa were found lying on the floor in different rooms, and a “pill bottle being opened and pills scattered next to the female.” However, these details were absent from Thursday’s official statement.

Following standard safety protocols, law enforcement called in Santa Fe City Fire personnel and the New Mexico Gas Company to check for carbon monoxide or other hazardous elements before executing a search warrant at approximately 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. The scene was ultimately deemed safe.

Disturbing details surfaced on Thursday regarding a 911 call made about the deaths of Hackman and his wife. The caller, reportedly a member of the maintenance crew, could be heard repeatedly exclaiming "damn" while struggling to hold back tears.

Law enforcement officials took approximately 12 hours to confirm the identities of Hackman and Arakawa, as reports suggest their bodies were decomposed and may have been undiscovered for over two weeks. According to TMZ, a frantic male caller informed dispatchers that he had spotted two unresponsive bodies at the actor’s Santa Fe mansion in New Mexico, pleading for immediate assistance.

The caller, believed to be one of two maintenance workers, Roland Lowe Begay or Jesse Kesler, described standing outside the home and looking through a window as he reported the grim discovery. At one point, he told the dispatcher, "[It's] a female and a male probably. I don't know, sir. Just send somebody up here really quick."

When asked for details about the "patients," the caller was unable to provide specifics on their ages or genders. He also stated that he had "no idea" whether Hackman and Arakawa were "awake" or "breathing" since he had not entered the house.

Begay and Kesler reportedly told law enforcement that they had not seen the couple in two weeks, raising concerns that they had been deceased for an extended period before being found.

While Sheriff Mendoza initially commented on possible theories surrounding the case in an interview with TMZ, the department has since clarified that he “will not be conducting interviews” going forward.

The deaths of Hackman and Arakawa have sent shockwaves through Hollywood and the Santa Fe community, where the actor had lived for decades. Hackman, who retired from acting after 2004’s Welcome to Mooseport, was a two-time Academy Award winner and one of the most respected actors of his generation.

Hackman and Arakawa, a classical pianist, had been married since 1991. Though they had no children together, Hackman is survived by three children from his first marriage.

As the investigation continues, authorities have not ruled out any possibilities, with toxicology results likely playing a crucial role in determining what led to the couple’s tragic passing.