Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were both found dead with their dog at their New Mexico home on February 26, 2025. The late movie star and the pianist had been married since 1991. As authorities investigate what happened to Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 63, locals in their community are concerned. The sheriff did not confirm their cause of death nor the circumstances surrounding the case. While police initially said they didn’t suspect foul play, TMZ obtained a search warrant, which revealed that a Sante Fe detective called Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths “suspicious.”
Below, we’re breaking down what we know so far about Hackman and his wife’s deaths.
Gene Hackman’s Movies & TV Shows
Hackman was known for a variety of film and television roles, but among his most popular were The French Connection, Unforgiven, Bonnie & Clyde, I Never Sang for My Father, Superman, Superman II and Mississippi Burning.
Among Hackman’s other popular roles were in The Poseidon Adventure, The Conversation, Loose Cannons, The Quick and the Dead, The Birdcage, Enemy of the State, Behind Enemy Lines, Runaway Jury and Welcome to Mooseport.
After wrapping Welcome to Mooseport, Hackman retired from acting and ventured into writing. The Academy Award winner published several books, including Wake of the Perdido Star, Justice for None, Escape From Andersonville and Pursuit.
What Happened to Gene Hackman & His Wife Betsy?
Authorities have not released an official cause of death for Hackman and his wife, but their dog was also discovered deceased in their home. Sante Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza released a statement to the Santa Fe New Mexican, via The Guardian, which read, “We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday.”
The Guardian reported that deputies arrived at Hackman’s home in the Santa Fe Summit gated community known as Old Sunset Trail. However, it’s unclear if cops came to the house to investigate a death report or if they were performing a welfare check.
In Mendoza’s initial report, police discovered an elderly man and his wife in her 60s dead. He told the public in a statement, “I want to assure the community and neighborhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone. We do not believe foul play was a factor in their deaths; however, exact cause of death has not been determined at this time.”
The sheriff added, “All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant.”
However, according to a search warrant obtained by TMZ, a local detective wrote in his affidavit that 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.”
The outlet further reported that the deputy noticed an opened prescription pill bottle on the countertop near Arakawa, and her body was in a statement of decomposition with facial “bloating” and “mummification in her hands and feet.” Hackman was discovered dead in another room fully clothed, and cops suspected he had fallen because his sunglasses were found next to him.
Gene Hackman’s Cause of Death
Since the sheriff stated that they were “in the middle” of the death investigation, it is still unclear how Hackman and his wife died.
After news of Hackman’s death broke, social media users speculated about a possible carbon monoxide poisoning. However, according to the search warrant obtained by TMZ, a detective noted that there were “no obvious signs of a gas leak” in Hackman’s home.
