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

[iamshadow21]

Her feet were visible to the person looking through the window, so I'm guessing not.

Yeah, bathroom windows don't tend to have clear glass, so he couldn't have seen her through that one, it must have been through a window opposite.

MOO

 

[crazychris]

I've always wondered why it takes months for toxicology results. JMO

Took weeks when my daughter, 22, died in 2018 but I'd have thought when they're well known it could be fast-tracked.

 

[Cherwell]

I find it strangely coincidental that Betsy would have had a medical event at the precise time she was opening the meds for her medical event.

I also find it curious that Gene was in the mud room with his cane and sunglasses close to him. Sunglasses makes it seem that he was either coming into or going out of the home, so not an immobile, bed-ridden invalid. And not like he had found Betsy deceased or incapacitated and was on the phone to 911.

I don't think it's been said that he was immobile or bed-ridden, has it? Or maybe I missed it.
I too noted the sunglasses, and took from it that he'd been outside. Get a breath of fresh air and watch the dogs running about.

As for Betsy, if it was her medication then it suggests that she was feeling ill already and naturally went for her pills.

 

[Sillybilly]

I don't think it's been said that he was immobile or bed-ridden, has it?

<rsbm>

No, I said it just as my own observation.

 

[Cherwell]

Yeah, bathroom windows don't tend to have clear glass, so he couldn't have seen her through that one, it must have been through a window opposite.

Mine has clear glass! It's not overlooked, so no need.

 

[ClearAhead]

I don't think we can draw any conclusions from the dog being crated other than as an indicator that the deaths were sudden as no pet owner would willingly leave a crated dog to die. I also think it is highly unlikely that there was an intruder in the home as there were two german shepherds roaming the property and there would be evidence left behind. it does not make sense that someone would murder or order a hit on a frail 95 year old man. The simplest explanation is that Betsy experienced a life ending medical event in the bathroom and Gene experienced one as well after becoming aware. I would like to know where the mobile phones were in the house as I would think the first reaction when becoming aware that a spouse has experienced a medical emergency would be to call 911.

This theory makes sense to me. The Hackmans’ home was in a gated community that also had security officers so surely entrances and exits were monitored with CCTV throughout the community and particularly near their most wealthiest and prominent homeowners.

At any death scene CCTV is usually the very first evidence which LE look at. If LE had announced foul play was suspected since they noticed suspicious individuals in or around the Hackman property I think they’d have said so right away.

JMO

 

[Cherwell]

I've wondered if it was a natural death (Hackman) and a suicide (his wife). Or I suppose two natural deaths in very quick order...like Hackman had a medical emergency and his wife, in a panicked rush, had a heart attack while trying to retrieve some medication. The dog, sadly, was left in its kennel to perish.

Definitely not suicide.
Unless those pills were something like cyanide (and they weren't), she wouldn't have dropped dead or even just collapsed after taking them.
And I don't believe in her grief she would leave him on the floor to rot. She would want to see him given the send-off he deserved, and if she did feel she couldn't go on, that would come later.
And she wouldn't have left the dog to die.

 

[iusedtofloat]

Definitely not suicide.
Unless those pills were something like cyanide (and they weren't), she wouldn't have dropped dead or even just collapsed after taking them.
And I don't believe in her grief she would leave him on the floor to rot. She would want to see him given the send-off he deserved, and if she did feel she couldn't go on, that would come later.

But we do not know her nor her mental state whatsoever.

 

[friendlysleuther]

I have compiled

1. Initial News Release | February 27th at 4:52PM EST.
2. Search Warrant Affidavit | February 27, 2025 – 07:25:33 (filed date/ time)
3. Press Conference | February 27th, 2024 / TRANSCRIPT
4. Press Conference | February 28th, 2024 –3:00PM /TRANSCRIPT

into a PDF file, that I will link below.
I figure, this may help everyone easily read all info, search document, etc (-:

If I didn't get something correct, or if you'd like the separate documents, or if you'd like for me to add on something, --just let me know.

 

[Fabled Automatic]

This theory makes sense to me. The Hackmans’ home was in a gated community that also had security officers so surely entrances and exits were monitored with CCTV throughout the community and particularly near their most wealthiest and prominent homeowners.

At any death scene CCTV is usually the very first evidence which LE look at. If LE had announced foul play was suspected since they noticed suspicious individuals in or around the Hackman property I think they’d have said so right away.

JMO

I agree. It was also stated from the beginning that none of the bodies showed any signs of trauma.

 

[priyaya]

So the address given in the search warrant (The Search Warrant Affidavit in Gene Hackman Death Inquiry) shows the property is pretty isolated. I didn't really understand initially how if something did go wrong how no one would notice the dogs or hear anything.

blurred out identifiers, although address is very clear at top of warrant

 

[Deleted member 235284]

I was thinking more along the lines of his wife Betsy rushing to the bathroom to get some kind of medication for Gene, who was suddenly ill, and she herself had a heart attack or something like that. I agree, Hackman was probably coming in or about to go outside when he collapsed or whatever else happened.

If he was ill though, heart attack or whatever would rushing to give him meds have been the best thing? Would they have even helped? I don't think they would have. Calling 911 would have been the first thing to do. Was any of the meds listed in the search warrant actually able to help?

 

[ClearAhead]

I find it strangely coincidental that Betsy would have had a medical event at the precise time she was opening the meds for her medical event.

I also find it curious that Gene was in the mud room with his cane and sunglasses close to him. Sunglasses makes it seem that he was either coming into or going out of the home, so not an immobile, bed-ridden invalid. And not like he had found Betsy deceased or incapacitated and was on the phone to 911.

At one time it was recommended that people who thought they were having a stroke or TIA to take an aspirin immediately. That’s no longer wise advise, just mentioning it considering the Tylenol was found although not quite equal.

https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/stroke/dont-take-aspirin-stroke

 

[sds71]

Raised in Honolulu, Arakawa studied piano at an early age and was just 11 when she performed for 9,000 children at the Honolulu International Center Concert Hall, according to a 1971 report from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin newspaper.

According to a 1981 column in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, she attended a private prep school in Honolulu before moving to Los Angeles and studying at the University of Southern California, from which she graduated with a degree in social sciences and communication.

Betsy Arakawa, Hawaiʻi-born concert pianist married to actor Gene Hackman, dead at 65

Betsy Arakawa, a concert pianist and co-founder of a home furnishing business, was found dead Wednesday in her Santa Fe, New Mexico, home along with actor-husband Gene Hackman and their dog, according to authorities. She was 65.

www.hawaiipublicradio.org

 

[Cherwell]

But we do not know her nor her mental state whatsoever.

That's true, but taking those pills wouldn't have knocked her out at once.

 

[priyaya]

So this is a bit of a reach without more information, but this is the house

another angle from hellomagazine via backgrid

looks like the grassy part on the upper right is possibly where the dogs would be able to go in and outside the property. Its fenced in and I assume this would also be where the mud room would be where Gene was found.
Besty was stated to be seen from a window, which i assume was at the front of the house near the driveway. To me this looks like a very far distance between the 2 and also convinces me that Gene wouldn't have been going out looking for help in the mudroom, but rather had let the dogs out

 

[Deleted member 235284]

That's true, but taking those pills wouldn't have knocked her out at once.

Very true, from what we know so far seems whatever happened to her seems like it was sudden.

 

[heartandsoul]

I was thinking more along the lines of his wife Betsy rushing to the bathroom to get some kind of medication for Gene, who was suddenly ill, and she herself had a heart attack or something like that. I agree, Hackman was probably coming in or about to go outside when he collapsed or whatever else happened.

I think this is possible. Perhaps he was feeling unwell. B didn’t think it was an immediate danger, and she was off to get his medication. But whatever happened to her, happened, leaving G, without any assistance. He either fell and was unable to get up, or his heart condition was more serious than either realised.

Of course, I don’t know much about the medication found. So this may not fit with the reality of that medication.

The dog, I believe, is almost a red herring. For whatever reason, it was in a crate and therefore unable to access resources once its owners had both passed away. Truly heartbreaking and something I don’t want to spend much time thinking about tbh.

It is unlikely to the point of being almost unrealistic. But we have two deceased people within the same time frame, so it just may have happened.

 

[Gemmie]

im leaning this way but still hung up on the different locations and the dog locked up.
if he saw her, surely his first response would be to call for help not to physically go try to find help. although we dont know his mental state.

Perhaps their cell reception wasn't great and he knew where the hotspots where and was headed there.

This is where a layout of the house would be really helpful.
how far away were they from each other?
i haven't seen him walking in recent photos without holding onto her. I dont think he could have made it very far on a cane alone.

Adrenaline and determination might have gotten him further than when his life wasn't upside down.

All JMO.

 

[Austin023]

If he was ill though, heart attack or whatever would rushing to give him meds have been the best thing? Would they have even helped? I don't think they would have. Calling 911 would have been the first thing to do. Was any of the meds listed in the search warrant actually able to help?

It very well might have been a prelude to an apparent heart attack or stroke...a nonspecific set of symptoms that induced Betsy to rush to the bathroom medicine chest...there are some medications that are prescribed to heart patients that are to be taken if certain symptoms arise, though calling 911 would of course be part of that...Hackman may have only collapsed and succumbed after she'd already rushed to retrieve whatever from the bathroom. It's only my speculation and I can think of a variety of scenarios along these lines. But a double medical emergency is basically what I'm leaning towards.