Gene Hackman dead at 95: Iconic actor and wife, 63, are found dead with their dog at Santa Fe home. #2

[sunflowermomma]

MOO - what if Gene suddenly collapsed/passed away and the shock of finding him sent Betsy into cardiac arrest?

 

[Cherwell]

Is there any history of the principal significantly younger caregiver's dying precipitating the death of an older spouse like this? There is an indissoluble bond between people living in the same house together for years, people of high iq, people who are tough and survivors and plan ahead for things. The pets are part of their life force, being fed and taken care of every day. Statistically as much as I think of this situation, it just doesn't make sense.

I've no doubt it's happened before, but unless the people were famous, or personally known to us, we wouldn't hear about it. It would be unusual.

It makes sense to me that if the carer dies or is incapacitated, an older frail person, if unable to call for help, is more vulnerable and in danger. Not many people would be as secluded as they were though.

 

[knla]

A 3rd party could have locked the dog in the crate, so it wouldn't attack them, while they killed the couple. If it was someone they knew, they could have left the door open, to make it look like an intruder. The wife could have yelled to Gene to get out of the house, and get away but he didn't make it.

 

[slowpoke]

One of Gene Hackman’s paintings that has hung in the Jinja restaurant for many years.

So cool he left his mark in the Santa Fe community. As in the BBC article said, “everyone still had a story about Hackman”.

Tough guy, every man. Gene Hackman pursued anonymity and a private artist life in Santa Fe

For four decades, Santa Fe, New Mexico was home to Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman whose mysterious death police are trying to untangle.

www.usatoday.com

Pilates, painting and bike rides: Gene Hackman's life in Santa Fe

After leaving Hollywood, Gene Hackman retired in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he became a fixture in the community.

www.bbc.com

 

[HoneyBunOne]

Where does it say BA did all the household chores? Please link it.

I didn't say she absolutely did. It was MOO. I said:

"Being that they were reclusive by choice, and Betsy likely being capable of all household chores, maybe they did not have a maid, cleaner, chef etc to come in and find them."

It was my opinion, based on their choice of living a low key life, the fact Betsy was quite fit/healthy (AFAIK), and that she was 63 years old. 63 is hardly old and frail and incapable. Not to mention with their wealth, they could have the best household appliances like a robot vac/mop to make things easier.

 

[NuttMegg]

I've never seen the movie so it looks like I need to borrow it from the library. Appears I'm not the only one as I'm #8 on the list!

Many of his movies are on amazon to rent for 3-4$ i posted it before, but I would not miss Mississippi Burning. Aside from it being an A+++ film, I could watch his face over and over, the subtleties. I saw it in a theater in Bolivia, at the end the audience stood and clapped, even though it had been subtitled in Spanish. All Bolivians in the theater but me. All of us cheering like crazy.

 

[Charlot123]

I had tons of questions about the pacemaker (there are different types and for different purposes). But in general, do you remember the situation when they never found the reason for death in a somewhat similar situation? (Two young Saudi Arabian sisters found in Australia?)

I honestly think that we may never find full answers here, but it may not indicate anything suspicious. I doubt that anyone harmed them. Even if isolation was Ms. Arakawa's purpose, i understand her although it is hard to put it into a few words. Maybe, "she married one of the finest Hollywood actors. She defined herself by being the wife of such an actor. This became her persona, and she coped well. She wanted the world to remind Mr. Hackman as he was in his primes, not as a 95-year-old man succumbing to age. "

And, truly, no scandals, no gossips, remarried once in life. Nada - by Hollywood standards. I don't think he suffered long even if Betsy died first.

The only sad part is that they were found much later, but not so horrible as they might have foreseen it when they settled in Santa Fe. They both were "private", maybe "privacy" in death was desirable. Gene said years ago that he was unafraid of death and his biggest goal was to provide well for his wife and kids. So if there are no news with inheritance, it will be closed just as "they were reclusive by design."

 

[K9Enzo]

A 3rd party could have locked the dog in the crate, so it wouldn't attack them, while they killed the couple. If it was someone they knew, they could have left the door open, to make it look like an intruder. The wife could have yelled to Gene to get out of the house, and get away but he didn't make it.

Eh, a dog truly in what I call an appropriate aggression state would not allow a 3rd party to close space on them like that. imo

 

[NCWatcher]

Eh, a dog truly in what I call an appropriate aggression state would not allow a 3rd party to close space on them like that. imo

I agree. But it's my understanding from various reports that two of the dogs were longtime pets and one was new. Not sure how new. While GSDs are usually quite protective, a new dog might not be. Also though, there might be reasons a new dog would be crated. If there was an intruder though, what were the other two dogs doing?
MOO

 

[doublestop]

My opinion, until the test results are announced, is based upon the above:

… Gene arose and after letting the two dogs out, collapsed with a stroke or heart attack in the mud room hallway.

… Betsy, hearing the above, ran to the mud room and then to the front entry bathroom to get pills she hoped would help him. She, also under the same factors as in (A.) above plus (B.) above, had a stroke or heart attack. She may or may not have been previously diagnosed with heart problems.

… The dog in the crate perished due to a lack of food and/or water.

I think perhaps the opposite order. Gene went to let the dogs out, maybe stepped out with them since he had his sunglasses at hand. Betsy had a heart attack or some other medical emergency and died on the spot. Gene got tangled up in the dogs and fell, and was unable to get up and died. Or, perhaps he knew about Betsy, either couldn't remember to dial 911 if he had cognitive issues, or went out to where he knew he could get cell service, and tripped on the way out and, again, couldn't get up on his own and died after a while.

 

[Cardgame]

Yes, rarely used a cellphone with friends, but the workers said she communicated with them by text or phone.

So she had some kind of cell capability, just didn't like using it with friends. Typical of introverts, IMO.

MOO but the friends now giving interviews may also not be the friends they felt most inclined to communicate with often!

 

[Charlot123]

Many of his movies are on amazon to rent for 3-4$ i posted it before, but I would not miss Mississippi Burns. Aside from it being an A+++ film, I could watch his face over and over, the subtleties. I saw it in a theater in Bolivia, at the end the audience stood and clapped, even though it had been subtitled in Spanish. All Bolivians in the theater but me. All of us cheering like crazy.

I remember how in the 90es, I was asked whom of Hollywood actors I'd consider "cute" (they used a different word), and i said, Gene Hackman, to everyone's surprise. But I can view only whole personalities, not just looks, so yes, this is how i defined him. He disappeared so quietly, btw. Everyone mentions Betsy taking a good care of him. I bet he, in his old age, fully understood it and was very thankful to her.

 

[Cedars]

Where does it say BA did all the household chores? Please link it.

But who else did them? Since they were 9 or so days undiscovered - and no helpers appear to have raised alarms that there wasn't contact, and they were well known for always being home...

There's a lot of chores in a week, even with every labour saving device and rigid self- discipline: changing sheets, doing laundry and putting it all back, planning meals and replenishing fresh food, taking out garbage, scrubbing down bathrooms, washing dog prints off everything...normally a cleaning person would come in for that, if you can afford it.

There was talk that, since Covid, she was very protective, so perhaps she had cancelled all services, and did it herself.

That's a big load, along with being his companion, facilitating his zoom yoga and everything else...

 

[NuttMegg]

I remember how in the 90es, I was asked whom of Hollywood actors I'd consider "cute" (they used a different word), and i said, Gene Hackman, to everyone's surprise. But I can view only whole personalities, not just looks, so yes, this is how i defined him. He disappeared so quietly, btw. Everyone mentions Betsy taking a good care of him. I bet he, in his old age, fully understood it and was very thankful to her.

For any of you with TVs. There is supposed to be a tribute to him tonight. On the Oscars.

 

[HoneyBunOne]

I made the comment wondering about mental decline. It is definitely something to consider, given his friends have said his health was declining recently, and that in some cases, mental decline can happen as you age. Is that being ageist, or realising it could be a possibility, given what we know? Regardless, I own the comment and stand by it.

As for the apparent lack of regular (weekly, if not more often) outside help, I get that too. In my experience, elderly people can (again, not always) be set in their ways and want to continue their life the way they have created it. It can be hard to admit you're not the strong, fit, capable person you used to be. In this scenario, where we have 2 people who liked to live a quiet life and were treated just like locals in their town, and yet are wildly famous, this can be harder to accept help in any form. Whilst many, many famous people have staff to do any and all ridiculous things for them, some shy away from that. As a famous person, it would be hard to trust anyone to come into your home, your sanctuary. As a frail, elderly person, I would imagine that to be immensely harder still. You can also imagine that when his time came, he may want to have been remembered as the actor he was in his prime, and his huge catalogue of movies. Allowing staff (like a cleaner) into personal areas of their home would open them up to the potential of being used for monetary gain if an unscrupulous person were to sell photos or their story.

Again, just speculation and my opinions only. No facts, no sources.

 

[SortaSleuthy]

I think perhaps the opposite order. Gene went to let the dogs out, maybe stepped out with them since he had his sunglasses at hand. Betsy had a heart attack or some other medical emergency and died on the spot. Gene got tangled up in the dogs and fell, and was unable to get up and died. Or, perhaps he knew about Betsy, either couldn't remember to dial 911 if he had cognitive issues, or went out to where he knew he could get cell service, and tripped on the way out and, again, couldn't get up on his own and died after a while.

Except Gene had a history of heart problems and is more likely to have an unstressed problem.

 

[AggieLou]

Not sure where I saw it but a report said the deceased dog was in a closed crate. As far as outside door being open when fire dept arrived. Maybe the dogs that were loose were also assistance/service dogs for Gene as his mobility is somewhat compromised. They could know how to open unlocked doors. We have lever type handles on our back door and my malamutes figured it out in their own how to open. We didn't necessarily want that when the handles were installed!

 

[RedHaus]

I think perhaps the opposite order. Gene went to let the dogs out, maybe stepped out with them since he had his sunglasses at hand. Betsy had a heart attack or some other medical emergency and died on the spot. Gene got tangled up in the dogs and fell, and was unable to get up and died. Or, perhaps he knew about Betsy, either couldn't remember to dial 911 if he had cognitive issues, or went out to where he knew he could get cell service, and tripped on the way out and, again, couldn't get up on his own and died after a while.

I agree with you re: the likely order of death. In whichever order the two died, though, I hope the interval was not protracted.

 

[Rosydecember]

Maybe one of them died from a broken heart as they were so close

Can You Really Die From a Broken Heart?

Dying of a “broken heart” may sound like it’s coming from the pages of a book, but it is possible. You might associate a broken heart with mental health, but it can take its toll physically as well. Learn more about “broken heart syndrome”, how it's diagnosed and treated.

www.unitypoint.org

 

[justtrish]

A 3rd party could have locked the dog in the crate, so it wouldn't attack them, while they killed the couple. If it was someone they knew, they could have left the door open, to make it look like an intruder. The wife could have yelled to Gene to get out of the house, and get away but he didn't make it.

I was curious if there was anyone in their life that would benefit from their deaths. Or maybe someone that has done work for them in the past that knew of items they had worth some money. I don't think a house would have to look ransacked for it to be true that someone stole a few high value items. I am not sure what exactly happened to them, but I can see a third party having some involvement somehow. No scenario makes 100% sense to me except carbon monoxide, but they have said there is no sign of that.