District Court Issues Restraining Order To Block The Release Of Photos Of Gene Hackman's Body
By Kristin Myers on March 17, 2025 at 2:53 PM EDT
Updated on March 17, 2025 at 4:27 PM EDT
The details behind the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, may never be fully known.
As the investigation continues, the First Judicial District Court issued a temporary restraining order on Monday, March 17, 2025, related to certain records that have not yet been made public.
Gene Hackman’s Death Records May Never Be Released
On Monday, the First Judicial District Court issued a temporary restraining order against the release of certain records regarding the death of Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa-Hackman.
The court also scheduled a hearing on March 31 at 11:30 a.m. (MDT) on whether or not a preliminary injunction should be issued regarding this case. The hearing will be conducted in person at the Santa Fe County Courthouse.
The TRO Was Filed By A Personal Representative For Their Estates
Julia Peters, a Personal Representative for the estates of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa-Hackman, filed for the temporary restraining order against the Regents of the University of New Mexico for its public operation known as the Office of the Medical Examiner and the Santa Fe County Board of County Commissioners.
According to the court documents obtained by The Blast, the Sherriff’s Office and the Medical Investigator’s Office are prohibited from sharing all photographs and videos containing images of the actor’s body, his wife’s body, the interior of the residence, any lapel footage that includes their bodies, or any lapel video footage that includes images of any deceased animals at the residence.
The Medical Investigator Is Restrained From Disclosing Death Investigation Reports
Although their cause of death was announced at a press conference last week, according to this latest filing, “The Office of the Medical Investigator is temporarily restrained from disclosing through IPRA or other means the Autopsy Reports and/or Death Investigation Reports” for both Hackman and his wife.
At the hearing, which will be held on March 31, representatives for the Medical Examiner and the Santa Fe sheriff’s office must appear in person and “show cause why a preliminary injunction should not be issued enjoining the actions enjoined by this restraining order.”
Timeline Of Their Deaths Has Been Called Into Question
According to ABC News, the timeline of their deaths has changed. Although Heather Jarrell, New Mexico's chief medical examiner, previously stated that she died on February 11, the Santa Fe County’s Sheriff's Office confirmed that during the early hours of Feb. 12, Betsy called Cloudberry, a medical concierge service that provides credentialed doctors to patients seeking help.
The Daily Mail confirmed that she spoke to a doctor from Cloudberry after she contacted their office on February 12. Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed that she was last seen publicly on February 11 during an appearance on Good Morning America. "That would indicate to me that she was seeking medical advice or medical help and may have not been feeling well," he stated.
Good Morning America also reached out to Cloudberry, who stated that Betsy had asked about “esoteric treatment" on February 12. They also noted that she had no signs of breathing issues or distress. The office returned her call twice but never heard back.
Gene Hackman and His Wife Were Found Dead On February 26
Both Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead in their home on February 26. One of their dogs was also found dead next to Betsy’s body. According to authorities, Hackman died from a combination of severe heart disease, high blood pressure, and advanced Alzheimer’s disease. His time of death was placed around February 18, around one week after Betsy was believed to have died.
Her case of death was determined to be Hantavirus, a rare flu-like virus transmitted through rodent droppings. Their dog, Zinna, was believed to have died of dehydration and starvation, according to a necropsy report recently released by ABC News.
The report revealed that Zinna's body showed no evidence of an infection, trauma, or poisoning. The report also noted that the dog’s stomach was "mostly empty except for very small amounts of hair and bile.”
Law enforcement officials were quick to rule out foul play as a cause of death. Carbon monoxide and gas were later ruled out as a potential cause of death, despite a small gas leak being located on one of their stovetops.
