Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead at their home on 26 February. The actor was married to Betsy Arakawa, who were 95 and 63, respectively, when they passed away.
A recent report revealed that Arakawa’s body was in the process of “mummification” when found. The suspicious details around their death have raised alarm with the authorities.
Gene Hackman was a renowned actor best known for playing the role of Lex Luthor in the 1978 Superman. The late star also won two Academy Awards over the span of his career. His roles in 1971’s The French Connection and 1992’s Unforgiven won him the two awards.
He also received a British Academy Film Award and four Golden Globe Awards. The late star was also nominated for an Oscar three times during his career. Some of his noteworthy roles were in the films The Poseidon Adventure, Scarecrow, and Power.
The star was born in San Bernardino, California, in 1930. Hackman spent a few years of his life serving in the United States Marine Corps. After his discharge from the army, the actor joined Pasadena Playhouse, where he met Dustin Hoffman.
Hackman married Betsy Arakawa in 1991. Arakawa was a classical pianist by profession. The two lived together in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The two were found dead in the same home last week.
The couple was found dead on February 26, 2025, along with their pet dog. A recent report from People confirmed that Betsy’s corpse was already decomposing by the time it was found.
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The report acquired by the magazine revealed that the body “showed obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mummification in both hands and feet.”
The search warrant affidavit stated that the circumstances around the death of Hackman and Arakawa called for an investigation. The affidavit stated that the nature of their deaths was “suspicious enough” to “require a thorough search and investigation.”
Reports suggest that the investigation was “active and ongoing.” According to TMZ, the corpse’s actor and his wife had died at least a day before they were found. The police search warrant revealed that the two had been “dead for some time.”
The authorities initially suspected that a gas leak might’ve been the reason behind Hackman and his wife’s death. The star’s daughter, Elizabeth Jean, spoke about how carbon monoxide poisoning could be the reason behind her father’s death.
Legendary actor Gene Hackman, wife Betsy Arakawa and dog found dead inside their Santa Fe, New Mexico home, police said.
Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office said: “We do not believe foul play was a factor in their deaths however, exact cause of death has not been determined at this time” pic.twitter.com/A6mBtIVFid
— Sean (@Xcellent78) February 27, 2025
That possibility was ruled out after the police revealed that there were “no obvious” signs of a gas leak. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza revealed that the authorities plan on completing the investigation thoroughly so they can release the “proper information.”
Hackman’s daughter Elizabeth and Leslie and his granddaughter Annie opened up about his death a few days after his death. In an official statement given to the New York Post, the actor’s family spoke about how he was “loved and admired” by millions of people. They also mentioned how the actor will be missed “sorely” and how the family is “devastated” by the loss.
