The caretaker who first spotted the bodies of actor Gene Hackman and his wife inside their Santa Fe home called 911 and pleaded with authorities to send someone quickly to their home, TMZ has reported.
“I think we just found two, one deceased person inside the house,” the caller said, according to the 911 recording obtained by the outlet. “I’m the caretaker for the subdivision,” he added. “Damn, damn, damn,” the man said, in utter shock, after seeing the bodies through the window.
When the dispatcher asked him several questions, the caller, in his shaky voice, begged him and said, “Just send somebody out here really quick!”
The caretaker asked them to reach the gated Old Sunset Trail property, adding he would take them to the deceased’s home from there.
After reaching their home, authorities said the deaths were “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation”. They found the door to the couple’s home “unsecured and opened” and saw an open orange prescription pill container scattered all over the room.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed the death and said they do not believe there was any foul play. The officials have labelled deaths as suspicious until further forensic analysis was conducted.
The cause of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa’s deaths remain unknown but authorities believe the couple might have been dead for a while before their bodies were discovered. The investigation is currently underway.
Gene Hackman, 95, his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, and their German Shepherd dog, were found dead in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in the US on Wednesday afternoon.
Born in 1930, Mr Hackman played over 100 roles. He won two Oscars, Best Actor for his role as Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in “The French Connection” and Best Supporting Actor for playing Little Bill Daggett in “Unforgiven.”
