Deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Akawara treated as “suspicious”
Following the announcement that Academy Award-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Akawara, had died at their home in Santa Fe, it is now being reported their deaths are being treated as “suspicious”.
County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed in a statement provided to regional news publication Sante Fe New Mexican that Hackman and Arakawa were found on February 26th by local police after a search warrant was issued following a call from a concerned neighbour.
Initially, in a statement, the police stated there was no immediate indication of foul play at the scene of their deaths. Additionally, Hackman’s daughter is quoted by TMZ as stating that carbon monoxide may have been the cause of her father’s death. The publication claims “they’re not sure, but they think the cause might be from toxic fumes.”
However, a new affidavit published by New Mexico authorities has played down the claims of a glass leak causing their deaths.
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It states (via Variety), “Affiant believes that the circumstances surrounding the death of the two deceased individuals to be suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation because the reporting party found the front door of the residence unsecured and opened, deputies observed a healthy dog running loose on the property, another healthy dog near the deceased female, a deceased dog laying 10-15 feet from the deceased female in a closet of the bathroom, the heater being moved, the pill bottle being opened and pills scattered next to the female, the male decedent being located in a separate room of the residence, and no obvious signs of a gas leak.”
Arakawa’s body was found by the police in a bathroom with a space heater near her head. A dead dog was also found within 10 to 15 metres of her body, and two other dogs survived.
“He advised he suspected the heater could have fallen in the event the female abruptly fell to the ground,” the affidavit continued. “He advised he also observed an orange prescription bottle on the counter-top near the deceased female. The prescription bottle appeared opened with pills scattered on the counter-top.”
Her body was also described as showing “obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mumification in both hands and feet.” Hackman, who was found in the mud room, is suspected to have “suddenly fallen” and “showed obvious signs of death, similar and consistent with the female decedent”.
The investigation may lead to the authorities checking the “furniture, walls, plumbing equipment, or gas lines in or around the residence” regarding a possible gas leak.
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