How did Gene Hackman die? So far, there are more questions than answers

Days after the grim discovery at their Santa Fe, N.M., home, the circumstances surrounding the death of Gene Hackman; his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and one of their dogs remain a mystery.

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Days after the grim discovery at their Santa Fe, N.M., home, the circumstances surrounding the death of Gene Hackman, his wife and one of their dogs remain a mystery.

The Oscar-winning actor and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead by maintenance workers Wednesday. While Hackman’s age, 95, doesn’t make his death all that surprising, the precise cause has so far eluded authorities — despite there being no obvious signs of foul play.

My colleagues Nathan Solis, Clara Harter and Richard Winton have the latest on the investigation, including local law enforcement sharing that they believe Hackman may have died on Feb. 17, the last day activity was registered on his pacemaker.

There were also pills found at the scene.

“We’ll be analyzing cellphone data, phone calls, text messages, events, photos in the cellphone, to try to piece a timeline together,” Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said at a news conference Friday.

Here’s what we know:

Couple was found in separate rooms

Maintenance workers found Hackman and Arakawa just before 2 p.m on Wednesday.

Eventually a community caretaker called 911.

Hackman’s body was discovered on the floor near the kitchen with a walking cane and sunglasses nearby, according to a court affidavit.

Arakawa’s body was located in a bathroom near the home’s entrance. Prescription pills were on a nearby countertop.

Police investigators recovered two green cellular devices, blood pressure and thyroid medications, Tylenol, medical records, and a 2025 monthly planner from the home, according to a search warrant summary.

Cause of death is under investigation

Medical investigators have not released an official cause of death for the couple or the German shepherd. The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Animal Control Division worked with the couple’s family to ensure the safety of the two surviving dogs.

The couple already showed signs of being dead for so long that paramedics did not attempt to revive them, officials said.

There had been early speculation that the couple may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning, but authorities said there is no evidence to back up that assertion.

Authorities also found no signs of forced entry at the property, or blunt force trauma on the couple’s bodies.

“This is an open investigation that’s a couple days old. We’re putting together the timeline. We’re trying to figure out all the evidence and the autopsy is key, and that is going to take some time,” Mendoza told the news program “Today.”

He asked for “a little bit of patience on the family’s part, on everybody’s part, so we can have some answers to these deaths.”

What happens next

Mendoza said the medical examiner has ordered several tests expedited. Even then, full toxicology and autopsy results will take time.

Another challenge for investigators is building a timeline — when were they last seen alive, who spoke to them last, etc. — for a couple Mendoza described as “private individuals.” There were no security cameras on the property.

For more details about the investigation, check out the full article here.

(Pierluigi Longo / For The Times)

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Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team

Andrew J. Campa, reporterLuke Money, news editor

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