Santa Fe, New Mexico: Academy Award-winning actor Gene Hackman likely passed away nine days before he and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home, according to the county sheriff.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza stated during a press conference on Friday that a pathologist had determined the last recorded signal from Hackman’s pacemaker was on February 17. However, the official cause of death for both Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 64, has yet to be determined.
“It is a good assumption that was his last day of life,” Mendoza told reporters.
Mendoza confirmed that toxicology tests ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning. Authorities have not determined who died first, as the couple was found in separate rooms. However, Mendoza reiterated that there were no signs of foul play.
Actor Gene Hackman likely died nine days before he and his wife, Betsy Arakawa were found dead inside their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the county sheriff said https://t.co/y6Bcpyf7C9 pic.twitter.com/NaR67nISn8
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A Private Life in Santa Fe
Hackman and Arakawa, a pianist, had been longtime residents of Santa Fe since the 1980s, actively engaging in the local art and culinary communities. In recent years, as Hackman’s health declined, the couple retreated from public life, Mendoza noted.
Their bodies were discovered on Wednesday by a caretaker from their gated community, who became concerned and looked through a window before alerting emergency services.
Deputies responding to the scene found Hackman in the kitchen. Arakawa and one of the couple’s dogs were found in a bathroom, where an open prescription bottle had spilled pills onto the counter. Neither showed signs of blunt force trauma, and both appeared to have collapsed suddenly.
Investigators noted that a back door was ajar, which allowed two of the couple’s surviving dogs to move freely in and out of the house. Mendoza stated that a toxicology report has been requested for the pills found in the bathroom, as well as other medications recovered at the scene.
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“That’s obviously very important evidence at the scene,” Mendoza told NBC News, adding that the toxicology report could take up to three months or longer.
Authorities collected various items from the residence, including heart and thyroid medications, a 2025 monthly calendar, two mobile phones, and MyQuest health records, according to an official police inventory.
A Legacy in Film
Hackman, known for his distinct raspy voice and commanding screen presence, appeared in more than 80 films over a career spanning four decades. A former Marine, he made his breakthrough in 1967 as the brother of bank robber Clyde Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde, earning his first Academy Award nomination.
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He won his first Oscar in 1972 for Best Actor in The French Connection, in which he portrayed detective Popeye Doyle. His second Oscar came in 1993 for Best Supporting Actor in Unforgiven, solidifying his legacy as one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors.
