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

[Cherwell]

But in order not to dial 911 to help her when she was dying, he would need to be incapacitated either physically or mentally. We can surely agree on that.

Simply put, he would be incapacitated if he fell and was unable to get up unaided, and there wasn't a phone within reach.

 

[Cardgame]

RSBM;
Or maybe he heard her fall, tried to get to her and in a panic fell himself and couldn’t get himself up. It is very, very common for a person in their 90s to be unable to get up from a fall by themselves even if no injuries were suffered in the fall.

I get where you're coming from, it's just from the evidence we know so far, gene was on the other side of the house, either heading in or out.

If in, how would he have heard her?

If out, why leave the house without his cellphone and calling 911?

Ie, if LE reveal his phone was in his jacket pocket in the mudroom and he didn't reach it because he fell before he could, then we could infer that he was trying to help Betsy.

If his phone was in the bedroom, then not so much.

I addressed this earlier but no evidence of a fall meaning a fall that caused death - like a head wound or something is how I take that.

A fall can be the contributing cause to death - a stroke, hypothermia, heart attack, etc.

Obviously both did ‘fall’ because they were sprawled on the ground.

Unless someone moved their bodies post mortem, placing them in the positions they were found in.

Not saying this is any more likely than they both separately died of natural causes, but IMO and JMO nothing in this case feels 'obvious'.

 

[ClearAhead]

No evidence of a fall other than his glasses being on the ground

Other than what’s stated in news reports, if he didn’t fall in the mudroom the only other alternative is he died while sleeping on the floor. Is that what you’re insinuating and if so, why?

Gene Hackman: Death of actor and wife 'suspicious enough' for investigation, police say

Authorities say there was no sign the couple had sustained any injuries, but no cause of death has been given.

www.bbc.com

“Hackman was discovered wearing grey tracksuit bottoms, a blue long-sleeve T-shirt and brown slippers. Sunglasses and a walking cane were next to the body.

The detective suspected that the actor had fallen suddenly.”

 

[iamshadow21]

According to the affidavit the last contact with the couple was two weeks prior although it does not specify in what context. Neither does it specify the exact reason they went to the home when the bodies were discovered although media reports indicate it to have been due to pest control. Perhaps the assumption was drawn that it was a followup visit for the same reason, I don’t know, but regardless this ‘unstated’ reason for the ‘routine maintenance’ is surely investigated considering the deaths followed shortly thereafter.

JMO

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/santafenewmexican.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/7/e9/7e932158-f529-11ef-a999-7baaa12b3817/67c0957ef0a13.pdf.pdf

View attachment 567453

It was literally stated by the sheriff in a press conference that the alarm was raised because someone arrived to do pest control and couldn't raise the residents.

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

MOO

 

[Cardgame]

Other than what’s stated in news reports, if he didn’t fall in the mudroom the only other alternative is he died while sleeping on the floor. Is that what you’re insinuating?

Gene Hackman: Death of actor and wife 'suspicious enough' for investigation, police say

Authorities say there was no sign the couple had sustained any injuries, but no cause of death has been given.

www.bbc.com

“Hackman was discovered wearing grey tracksuit bottoms, a blue long-sleeve T-shirt and brown slippers. Sunglasses and a walking cane were next to the body.

The detective suspected that the actor had fallen suddenly.”

We keep looping over this point, for understandable reasons.

They have said both, IMO:

that there are no injuries consistent with a fatal fall, and that they appear both to have fallen.

 

[K9Enzo]

GH had declining health recently - he’s 95, but this seems more rapid as I read a report he was still riding his bike in the neighborhood last year. Now he’s not doing that anymore.

She hadn’t spoken with her mother since Oct 2024. She’s presumably withdrawing. There’s a 30 year age difference between the two. That’s substantial when one is in there 90’s and you’re in your 60’s. It seems like she took great care of him and this was a loving relationship. Is her identity wrapped up in this and she’s struggling mentally with the inevitable? Maybe. imo

MSN

 

[IceIce9]

not all pacemakers do this.

In the above linked article it was mentioned that Gene’s doctor would have been alerted if his pacemaker detected an abnormality.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Has anyone seen whether a phone was found with him? He could have fallen and not had a phone with him. And quite probable that he couldn’t get himself up off the floor without help even if he didn’t suffer injuries during the fall.

All I've seen is that 2 phones were recovered - no mention of where in the house they were found.
It wouldn't surprise me if both phones were hers, and he didn't even use a cell phone.

jmo

 

[IceIce9]

I get where you're coming from, it's just from the evidence we know so far, gene was on the other side of the house, either heading in or out.

If in, how would he have heard her?

If out, why leave the house without his cellphone and calling 911?

Ie, if LE reveal his phone was in his jacket pocket in the mudroom and he didn't reach it because he fell before he could, then we could infer that he was trying to help Betsy.

If his phone was in the bedroom, then not so much.

Unless someone moved their bodies post mortem, placing them in the positions they were found in.

Not saying this is any more likely than they both separately died of natural causes, but IMO and JMO nothing in this case feels 'obvious'.

Maybe he just fell as is common for a 95 year old in declining health. And was unable to get himself up without help, also common.

Maybe he hadn’t seen her and went looking for her.

Maybe he didn’t have his phone on him, or it was discharged. It in a pocket he was lying on and he was unable to get it.

So many things we don’t know.

 

[ClearAhead]

We keep looping over this point, for understandable reasons.

They have said both, IMO:

that there are no injuries consistent with a fatal fall, and that they appear both to have fallen.

I think the reason we’re looping is because it‘s like the chicken and the egg - what came first?

It would seem obvious each of them fell since they were found on the floor. But did falling cause their death (ie such as falling down stairs or a blow to the head while falling) or did sudden death or collapse due to other health issues (heart attack, stroke, aneurism, dizziness, fainting etc) cause each to fall? IMO WHY is unknown at this time, not whether or not they fell. And IIRC head trauma caused by the fall has already been ruled out.

JMO

 

[priyaya]

In the above linked article it was mentioned that Gene’s doctor would have been alerted if his pacemaker detected an abnormality.

this wasnt his doctor though. its just a fox news paid consultant doctor making general assumptions.
And Genes pacemaker was put in back in the 90s when he first had heart issues when remote monitoring wasn't a possibility
I mean the point is the pacemaker didn't alert period, but still was able to have data retrieved once it was recovered on Gene to show when it stopped working.
if it alerted like it should have, surely they would have checked in. they wouldn't haven't been able to retrieve that date if the pacemaker wasn't functional

 

[Sunshynn]

that there are no injuries consistent with a fatal fall, and that they appear both to have fallen.

IMO, because a fatal fall and a fall are two different things.

Fatal fall - moo - would be head injuries or immediately recognizable signs that the fall was the cause of death.

A fall can contribute but not be the cause of death.

Betsy was located on the floor with scattered pills and a space heater out of place next to her so she, imo, has a medical event and fell to the ground. (In this case, the fall was because of the medical event and was not the cause of death).

Gene was found with his sunglasses and cane near him. IMO, he might have lost his balance and fallen and was relatively unhurt but unable to get up without assistance. (In this event, the fall was the contributing cause but not the cause of death)

 

[ClearAhead]

It was literally stated by the sheriff in a press conference that the alarm was raised because someone arrived to do pest control and couldn't raise the residents.

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

MOO

Yes I agree but was that the same reason for the ‘maintenece’ two weeks prior? I wasn’t able to locate a source as requested by the poster whom I replied to.

 

[IceIce9]

this wasnt his doctor though. its just a fox news paid consultant doctor making general assumptions.
And Genes pacemaker was put in back in the 90s when he first had heart issues when remote monitoring wasn't a possibility
I mean the point is the pacemaker didn't alert period, but still was able to have data retrieved once it was recovered on Gene to show when it stopped working.
if it alerted like it should have, surely they would have checked in. they wouldn't haven't been able to retrieve that date if the pacemaker wasn't functional

It would not have been the same pacemaker that was placed in the 90s. It would have been replaced with a new pacemaker at least twice since then, probably three times, with newer models.

The lifespan of pacemakers is 5 to 10 years.

 

[Cardgame]

Maybe he just fell as is common for a 95 year old in declining health. And was unable to get himself up without help, also common.

Maybe he didn’t have his phone on him, or it was discharged. It in a pocket he was lying on and he was unable to get it.

So many things we don’t know.

Totally, yes. Sorry, think I've been unclear which aspect of this i am questioning.

I'm not suggesting there is anything suspicious about a 95 year old man being found dead, having apparently fallen.

It's the combination of his death, plus his fit and healthy much younger 65 year old wife, plus the dog, plus the open front door. And probably if I'm honest, the knowledge that he is a high net worth individuals which IMO makes him a potential target.

 

[K9Enzo]

Friend who found Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa releases statement

Actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa treated people “like gold," the friend who found their bodies said. There are still questions surrounding their mysterious deaths.

www.fox4news.com

“Gene and Betsy, Thank you for the 16 plus years of opportunity, friendship and trust. Gene Hackman, thank you for lending a hand on projects over the years. I could not believe at the time I was actually working side by side with a legend. Thank you for treating my sons and employees so well and as equals. When on the job you were just another one of the guys. Thank you for all the stories which I will always remember and will cherish forever," he began.

"Betsy Hackman, thank you for the years of friendship, generosity, opportunity and trust. Thank you for your love for dogs, including my own. Thank you for all the advice and consoling. Thank you for being such a beautiful person.

"You both will always be near and dear to my heart and greatly missed. Love you both!" Kesler concluded.

 

[priyaya]

It would not have been the same pacemaker that was placed in the 90s. It would have been replaced with a new pacemaker at least twice since then, probably three times, with newer models.

The lifespan of pacemakers is 5 to 10 years.

then why did no one follow up on it?

 

[friendlysleuther]

I addressed this earlier but no evidence of a fall meaning a fall that caused death - like a head wound or something is how I take that.

A fall can be the contributing cause to death - a stroke, hypothermia, heart attack, etc.

Obviously both did ‘fall’ because they were sprawled on the ground.

The thing is— A pathologist would be able to determine if they died from any internal injuries, during the autopsy.
They peel the scalp back, examine the scalp, the brain, they look at all organs — I mean, it’s a lot..

 

[priyaya]

<modsnip: Quoted post was removed> ... would they possibly have some idea from the visual examination that they arent reporting until the toxicology can further prove it? Or are they relying fully on toxicology at this point.

We can rule out aneurysms?

 

[Lucy6226]

Except in this case we do know that Gene’s health was declining.

Gene Hackman's declining health before his death revealed by family friends

Family friends have revealed that Gene Hackman's health had been deteriorating in the months leading up to his tragic passing.Speaking to PEOPLE on February 28, the family friends Daniel and Barbara Lenihan and their son, Aaron,...

www.geo.tv

Family friends have revealed that Gene Hackman’s health had been deteriorating in the months leading up to his tragic passing.

Yes his physical health. Which does not automatically equate to cognitive decline.