Gene Hackman Spotted On ‘Remote’ Picnics Before Suspicious Death

Gene Hackman lived a quiet and fulfilling life in New Mexico, according to a photographer who captured some of the last public moments of the “French Connection” star and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, before their tragic deaths.

As The Blast reported, Hollywood icon Gene Hackman and his wife were discovered deceased in their Santa Fe residence on February 26, 2025. The couple, along with one of their three dogs, were found by a maintenance worker who had last contacted them two weeks prior.

Gene Hackman was located in the mudroom, while Betsy Arakawa was found in a bathroom with prescription pills scattered nearby.

Photographer Mark Kreusch, who had followed Hackman’s later years in Santa Fe, described the legendary actor’s life as “happy” and filled with simple pleasures.

“I think that he loved Santa Fe,” Kreusch told PEOPLE. Hackman, who retired from acting in 2004, had settled in the New Mexico city with Arakawa, his wife of more than three decades.

According to Kreusch, one of Hackman’s favorite pastimes was taking long drives through the remote landscapes of New Mexico. “He would go on these long drives… like he just was clearing his mind,” he recalled. “He did it kind of often.”

But these weren’t just solo excursions. Hackman and Arakawa frequently took these drives together, often bringing along food for impromptu picnics. “They’d find some remote place, some really beautiful place, and they would park up and hang out for a couple of hours,” Kreusch said, adding that fast food was sometimes part of the mix.

Their love for their dogs was also apparent, with Kreusch noting that Arakawa “had those German shepherds with her everywhere she went without [fail]. There was not one time that I didn’t see her with those German Shepherds. She had cages built into the cars.”

The last time Kreusch photographed Hackman and Arakawa together was on March 28, 2024, when the couple was spotted dining at a Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. “On the way out, they were pretty happy. They were in good spirits,” the photographer recalled.

For his age, Hackman remained remarkably active. Kreusch noted that the actor was still engaging in yard work on his various properties well into his nineties. “For a guy that old, he had energy… He was solo, he was moving about, and he was happy.”

However, after March 2024, something seemed to change. Kreusch observed that Hackman’s car, which was once regularly out and about, hadn’t moved for months. “It was like it hadn’t moved in a few months,” he said.

Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths, along with one of their dogs, have been deemed “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation,” according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office. The case remains an active investigation, as authorities continue to work toward uncovering the circumstances surrounding their passing.

“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.

Gene Hackman, a two-time Academy Award winner, was renowned for his roles in films such as "The French Connection" and "Unforgiven." He retired from acting in 2004 and had since lived a private life in New Mexico.

His passing has prompted tributes from the film industry, with director Clint Eastwood stating, "There was no finer actor than Gene. Intense and instinctive. Never a false note." Francis Ford Coppola also remarked, "Gene Hackman [was] a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity."

Hackman and Arakawa are survived by the actor’s three children from his previous marriage to Faye Maltese. While the details surrounding their deaths remain unclear, what is certain is that the couple built a quiet, peaceful life together, one centered around nature, companionship, and the simple joys of the everyday.