An investigation is underway into the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, who were found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Wednesday. Hackman’s body was found in a mud room, and Arakawa’s on the floor of a bathroom, according to a search warrant affidavit. A dead German shepherd was found in a closet of the bathroom near Arakawa. The county sheriff said it appeared that “several days, possibly even up to a couple weeks” had passed since the couple had died.
Authorities initially reported there were no signs of foul play, but a search warrant said the deaths were “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation”. There were no obvious signs of a gas leak and the fire department didn’t find signs of a carbon monoxide leak. Initial autopsy showed “no external trauma”.
What happened?
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies were called to the home after a maintenance worker who had gone to the home to perform some work on Wednesday grew concerned when no one answered the door. The worker asked local securi ty to do a welfare check, and when they arrived and saw unresponsive bodies through the window, they called 911.
Deputies found Arakawa lying on her side on the bathroom floor with a space heater near her head, which could have fallen with her, the affidavit said.
Scattered pills
An open prescription bottle and scattered pills were near her body on a counter in the bathroom. Arakawa’s body showed signs of decomposition, the affidavit said, as well as “mum mification in both hands and feet.” The dog was 10-15 feet away from Arakawa’s body in a bathroom closet. Two other dogs were found alive on the property.
Mummification occurs when dead tissue turns into a hard shrunken mass, often from dehydration. When an individual dies, body starts naturally decomposing almost immediately. Natural mummification can occur in dry, hot environments.
Hackman’s body was in the mud room, with his body in a similar condition to his wife’s, the affidavit said. He was found with a cane. A pair of sunglasses was to his left. One of the deputies on the scene said it appeared he had “suddenly fallen”.
Hackman’s final years
Hackman moved to Santa Fe county in the 1980s after filming some movies there. He married Arakawa, a classical pianist, in 1991. The couple lived in an adobe home in a secluded neighbourhood. In his later years the two-time Oscar-winning actor devoted time to painting and sculpture. He also became a published author.
