Gene Hackman dead: Actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa found dead at their home
Key points
- Initial autopsy findings revealed View post
- A round-up of events so far View post
- Hackman and Arakawa's deaths being treated as "suspicious" View post
- Family suspect carbon monoxide poisoning as cause of death View post
- Call from concerned neighbours leading to police visit View post
- Francis Ford Coppola pays tribute View post
- No foul play is believed to have occurred, according to local police View post
Award-winning and acclaimed US actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, have been found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
A statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff, Adan Mendoza, in New Mexico said: “We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail.”
The Sheriff added: “This is an active investigation – however, at this time, we do not believe that foul play was a factor.”
No cause of death has been revealed for Hackman or Arakawa, and it’s also not been stated when it’s believed they died.
“All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant,” the sheriff said of the deaths on February 26th.
Dustin Hoffman remembers Gene Hackman
Hackman had been close friends with Hoffman since the pair were roommates in acting school before both going on to conquer Hollywood. In a statement, Hoffman recalled: “I met Gene in acting school, at the Pasadena Playhouse, when he was 27 and I was 19. We used to play congas together on the roof, trying to be like our hero Marlon Brando… And Gene was like Brando, in that he brought something unprecedented to our craft, something people didn’t immediately understand as genius.”
He powerfully concluded his statement by stating: “Powerful, subtle, brilliant. A giant among actors. I miss him already.”
[Link]Hackman’s family maintain actor was “in good health”
Hackman’s daughter, Leslie Anne, has said to The Daily Mail in a new interview they believe a gas leak or carbon monoxide poisoning could possibly be the reason for his death due to the actor’s strong health. She told the publication “there was no indication that there was any problem” with Hackman’s condition prior to his death.
“Despite his age, he was in very good physical condition,” she said about her late father. “He liked to do Pilates and yoga, and he was continuing to do that several times a week. So he was in good health.”
Although Leslie stated that her father was healthy before his death, she does accept that it’s “not terribly shocking” due to his age.
911 call revealed by maintenance worker
In a 911 call, obtained by CNN, a maintenance worker told police that he could see two unconscious people through a window but could not enter the property, adding, “No, dude, they’re not moving. Just send somebody out here really quick”.
Police then rushed to the Santa Fe home and discovered two bodies. They have since confirmed they believe “the circumstances surrounding the death of the two deceased individuals to be suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation”.
Bill Murray remembers “tough nut” Gene Hackman
Bill Murray has shared an honest tribute to Gene Hackman, celebrating his gift for acting but also recognising he was hostile to director Wes Anderson when they worked together on The Royal Tenebaums.
“He was a tough nut, Gene Hackman. But he was really good,” Murray said in an interview with the Associated Press. “And he was really difficult, we can say it now, but he was a tough guy. Older, great actors do not give young directors much of a chance. They’re really rough on them, and Gene was really rough on Wes. I used to kind of step in there and just try to defend my friend.”
Prince William pays tribute
Taking to X, Prince William has shared a poignant tribute to the late actor. Sharing a post from Bafta, the Prince of Wales added: “So sad to hear the news of the death of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy. Hackman was a true genius of film who brought each and every character to life with power, authenticity and star quality. W”.
See the post below.
Initial autopsy findings revealed
According to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office on February 27th, there are “no apparent signs of foul play,” and “carbon monoxide and toxicology tests were requested for both individuals.” However, a detective claimed there were “no obvious signs of a gas leak” and those who have been investigating the property “did not locate signs of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning.”
The Sheriff’s Office added, “The manner and cause of death has not been determined. The official results of the autopsy and toxicology reports are pending.”
No signs of external trauma have been found on the pair’s bodies. When Arakawa was found, there were “obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mummification in both hands and feet.”
Meanwhile, Hackman “also showed obvious signs of death, similar and consistent with the female decedent.”
[Link]Hackman’s family pay tribute
Following the loss of their father, Gene Hackman, the Hackman’s have issued a statement honouring the late actor.
As the investigation continues, figures from the entertainment industry honour Hackman’s life and legacy, sharing memories and heartfelt words in tribute. Hackman’s two daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, and his granddaughter, Annie, also shared their “sadness” upon learning of his passing.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy,” they wrote, per The New York Post. Continuing: “He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
[Link]A round-up of events so far
Welcome back to the second day of the live blog following the tragic death of Gene Hackman, his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and their German shepherd who were found dead at their home in Santa Fe on February 26th.
At this stage, the cause of death remains unknown, and the full circumstances surrounding the couple’s death have yet to come to light. It’s also unknown how long they were deceased before they were found by police, but comments from the local authority suggest it was a significant amount of time as Arakawa was “mummified”.
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”.
A toxicology report is expected to arrive in the near future.
[Link]Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths being treated as “suspicious”
In a new update, Variety have obtained a search warrant affidavit which states the deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa are both being treated as “suspicious”.
The affidavit reads: “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.”
[Link]Family suspect carbon monoxide poisoning as cause of death
According to TMZ, Hackman’s daughter, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, believes that carbon monoxide was the cause of her father’s death. The publication claims “they’re not sure, but they think the cause might be from toxic fumes.”
At this stage, the police are still yet to reveal the cause of death. However, local officials in Santa Fe have maintained that no foul play is suspected.
[Link]Bafta pay tribute to Gene Hackman
Although Hackman was an American cinematic icon, he also had a close relationship with Bafta, too. Over the course of his career, he won two awards at the Baftas, including a ‘Best Lead Actor’ award for The French Connection. He also won ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for his role in Unforgiven.
They wrote: “We are saddened to hear that the much-celebrated actor Gene Hackman has died aged 95. Hackman’s illustrious career spanned over six decades and earned him BAFTA wins for his work in Unforgiven, The French Connection and The Poseidon Adventure.”
[Link]New update expected shortly
According to the Daily Express, a further update is expected to arrive concerning the investigation from Santa Fe officials on February 27th. Currently, no cause of death has been provided by the local authorities.
Call from concerned neighbours leading to police visit
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office released a statement upon the discovery of the dead bodies of Gene Hackman, his wife, Betsy Arakawa and their dog, in which they temporarily eliminated the possibility of foul play.
However, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Denise Avila has also stated that the reason for the police’s visit to the couple’s house was a call from a concerned neighbour.
[Link]Gene Hackman’s final interview
In 2021, Hackman gave a rare interview to celebrate the 50th anniversary of The French Connection, which previously won him an Oscar for ‘Leading Actor’.
For the landmark occasion, he spoke via email to Yahoo, reflecting on the movie, “[I] haven’t seen the film since the first screening in a dark, tiny viewing room in a post-production company’s facility 50 years ago.”
Hackman also said of the movie that is widely considered to be his crowning moment, “If the film has a legacy, I am not sure what that would be. At the time, it seemed to me to be a reverent story of a cop who was simply able to solve and put a stop to a major crime family’s attempt to infiltrate the New York drug scene.”
[Link]Edgar Wright hails Gene Hackman as “the greatest”
As the world wakes up to the shocking news of Hackman’s passing, tributes from across the film industry are beginning to pour in for the actor. British director Edgar Wright opted to be succinct with his tribute, simply posting “the greatest” on X and sharing an announcement of his death by MUBI.
Francis Ford Coppola pays tribute
Following the news of Hackman’s passing, director Francis Ford Coppola has paid tribute to the late actor. Significantly, the pair worked together on The Conversation in 1974, bringing together two titans of cinema.
Coppola wrote on Threads: “The loss of a great artist, always cause for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity. I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution.”
When did Gene Hackman meet Betsy Arakawa?
Betsy Arakawa was Hackman’s second-wife and the couple were married for 34 years after tying the knot in 1991. They lived in Santa Fe since 1990. She was a classical pianist who had reportedly met Hackman during the mid-1980s when they were both in a Californian gym.
In a 2020 interview with Empire, Hackman said of their quiet life together: “We like simple stories that some of the little low-budget films manage to produce.”
He added: “Friday night is set aside for a Comedy Channel marathon, with particular attention paid to Eddie Izzard.”
[Link]Gene Hackman’s favourite movie of his career
While he won an Academy Award for The French Connection, Hackman’s favourite film of his career was a title that belonged instead to Scarecrow, which co-starred Al Pacino, Eileen Brennan and Richard Lynch.
Speaking about his role in an interview with The Independent, Hackman expressed his love for Scarecrow and noted it as his favourite, stating: “It’s the only film I’ve ever made in absolute continuity, and that allowed me to take all kinds of chances and really build my character.”
[Link]When did Gene Hackman retire?
After being at the top of the movie industry for several decades, Hackman walked away from acting in 2004 due to medical advice from a heart doctor. He explained his decision to Larry King in 2009: “The straw that broke the camel’s back was actually a stress test that I took in New York. The doctor advised me that my heart wasn’t in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress.”
For the last 20 years of his life, Hackamn lived a quiet life outside of the public eye in New Mexico with Arakawa.
No foul play is believed to have occurred, according to local police
At this stage, information surrounding the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa has not been shared by the police while an investigation remains ongoing.
However, Santa Fe’s County Sheriff, Adam Mendoza, has issued a statement in which he said that “at this time we do not believe that foul play was a factor.”
[Link]Gene Hackman and wife, Betsy Arakawa, found dead
Hollywood royalty Gene Hackman has been found dead, aged 95, in his home in Santa Fe. Additionally, Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, was discovered to be deceased at the property upon it being searched by police. The couple’s dog has also passed away.
County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed in a statement provided to regional news publication Sante Fe New Mexican that Hackman and Arakawa, who was trained as a classical pianist, were found by local police on February 26th.
“All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant,” the sheriff said Wednesday evening before his agency had positively identified the pair.
“I want to assure the community and neighbourhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone,” he said.
[Link]Updates continue to unfold live.
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