On Thursday, the sad news broke that beloved actor Gene Hackman, his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, and one of their pet dogs had been found dead in their Santa Fe home on Wednesday afternoon. Gene was 95 years old, and Betsy was 64, with the two married since 1991.
Initially, it was widely speculated that the couple may have died due to carbon monoxide poisoning, however, a newly available search warrant affidavit states that the Santa Fe City Fire Department “did not locate signs of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning” in the property. Investigators added that they believe Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths are “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.”
Upon entering the home, the deputies found Arakawa’s body on the floor of a bathroom to the left of the front door. A space heater was close to her head, which the affidavit says could have fallen in the event of Arakawa abruptly falling to the ground. An orange prescription bottle was also found in the bathroom, with pills scattered on the countertop. The affidavit adds that Arakawa “showed obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mummification in both hands and feet.”
Hackman’s body was found in a “similar” condition to Arakawa’s in what is thought to have been a mud room close to the kitchen. The deputies suspect that he had “suddenly fallen,” and sunglasses and a walking cane were located close to his body. The deputies found a dead German Shepherd dog 10-15 feet away from Arakawa’s body, in the bathroom closet. Two healthy dogs were also on the property, with one inside the home and another outside.
Summarizing the situation, Detective Roy Arndt wrote in the affidavit: “At this time; the manner and cause of death pertaining to Eugene ‘Gene’ Allen Hackman and Betsy Arakawa passing is unknown. 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…. At this time Affiant believes there is sufficient probable cause for the issuance of this search warrant.”