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

[NuttMegg]

First, IMHO, the dogs would be the first to succumb to CO poisoning. Due to a mutation in aryl-hydrocarbon-receptor gene, humans may be more resistant to products of incomplete combustion as opposed to animals. It has nothing to do with height, just physiology. Dogs would probably succumb first. Unless something led to the door being open so that they could run out.

Now, very old and infirm people are more sensitive to CO than younger and healthier ones. For some reason, I am not sure it was CO.

Nor do I believe that a 95-year-old man would have the capacity to commit suicide. It involves certain planning and energy. Doesn’t seem like Gene had it, judging by his last photo.

It is another thing that his wife, observing him slipping, might have developed “caregiver’s depression”. Sadness, genuine fear observing your partner getting so old and more dependent on you, loneliness, after all.

The worst situation could have happened if Ms. Arakawa herself got certain diagnosis that could potentially leave little hope. Then, the thinking pattern would have been about her husband and the favorite dog not coping alone.

While I can’t exclude some form of murder/suicide, it might have been a better way out. Mr. Hackman was still of limited mobility. I am sure that given their difference in age, such an outcome might have been discussed among them long before. From what I read about Gene, he wouldn’t have been constrained by strong belief.

RIP, Mr. Hackman and Ms. Arakawa. Gene was an amazing actor. Talented, but also funny and witty. He was so popular. He chose good movies. He disappeared from the screen quietly. He lived twenty more years, wrote books and as it seems, enjoyed life in New Mexico with his wife. He was a respected, decent man.

One thing. There was a doggie door. But I don't know if a dog would be savvy enough to realize they needed fresh air and quickly.

Anyway I don't think it was CO. jmo

 

[friendlysleuther]

Also, @MassGuy -- I do believe the autopsy can confirm if there was any carbon monoxide levels in their blood or tissues.
I think it was you who had mentioned something about.. Maybe they just couldn't detect the carbon monoxide by the time they arrived on scene
Improved Postmortem Detection of Carbon Monoxide and Cyanide
Postmortem concentrations for total blood carbon monoxide (TBCO) as a novel biomarker for carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings

 

[Romulus]

I repeat...Couldn't it be toxic mold in the house?

 

[whitelilac]

I repeat...Couldn't it be toxic mold in the house?

My opinion is that it's unlikely. The main house was extensively renovated, and the smaller house was newish.

 

[friendlysleuther]

I repeat...Couldn't it be toxic mold in the house?

Hmm.. Home was built in 1997.
For both of them and a dog to die around the same time, though? ehhhh i dunno.
Not impossible, though, I suppose

 

[ttjo]

I was just reading about hypoxia,
Carbon monoxide: toxicological overview

 

[friendlysleuther]

Wait!
Who would of been their next of kin? Since they both died...Who profits? I'm curious to know about their life insurance policies/ wills..

Poison that was in a food they ate, perhaps? Gave the dog some scraps..?

 

[MassGuy]

Also, @MassGuy -- I do believe the autopsy can confirm if there was any carbon monoxide levels in their blood or tissues.
I think it was you who had mentioned something about.. Maybe they just couldn't detect the carbon monoxide by the time they arrived on scene
Improved Postmortem Detection of Carbon Monoxide and Cyanide
Postmortem concentrations for total blood carbon monoxide (TBCO) as a novel biomarker for carbon monoxide (CO) poisonings

Yes. I remain convinced that a faulty appliance or something was responsible, and it eventually shut off and the gas dissipated.

I'd bet the farm on toxicology confirming that.

The pills could have been knocked over in the event of a fall, or she could have been attempting to take them at the time, thinking they would help her symptoms (depending on what they were).

Both appear to have been in similar states of dress, and going about normal business when something catastrophic occurred. Neither appear to have sustained any injuries, and there are no obvious signs of foul play.

CO poisoning makes sense of this, while nothing else comes remotely close.

 

[NuttMegg]

Well, when they have similar and consistent signs of death and decomposition-- I'm led to believe that someone wasn't in the home for hours, days, weeks, etc, while the other was lying dead in the other room.

Exact time of death? No. But, I don't think that they died very far apart from one another. Nothing says otherwise.

You said you couldn't believe that 2 ppl fell to their death at the same time.

All I'm saying is that no one is claiming that. We'll never know if they died 10 minutes apart or a half hour apart.

I haven't opined that they died hours, days, weeks apart.

I think she fell, then he fell. Whether they died instantly or the one that fell last died before the one that fell first, i think that may remain a guess. It would be a nice clue to learn what medicine it was.

 

[MassGuy]

I repeat...Couldn't it be toxic mold in the house?

From what I can gather, toxic mold doesn't typically cause sudden death. Two sounds like it would be astronomical.

 

[friendlysleuther]

You said you couldn't believe that 2 ppl fell to their death at the same time.

All I'm saying is that no one is claiming that. We'll never know if they died 10 minutes apart or a half hour apart.

I haven't opined that they died hours, days, weeks apart.

I think she fell, then he fell. Whether they died instantly or the one that fell last died before the one that fell first, i think that may remain a guess. It would be a nice clue to learn what medicine it was.

Sorry, bad word phrasing on my part I suppose—
I didn’t mean it as they had both literally fell at the same time. I don’t think they fell at all, actually — I believe that medical personnel would have been able to determine that as the cause & manner of death, if so

 

[whitelilac]

^ Given the renovations of their home, I wonder why they did not have CO alarms, if their deaths were caused by CO.
Heck I have 3 in my house. It's actually required.

 

[friendlysleuther]

Poisoning is my final answer, best guess— Guess we can revisit this when more info comes out

 

[ttjo]

Yes. I remain convinced that a faulty appliance or something was responsible, and it eventually shut off and the gas dissipated.

I'd bet the farm on toxicology confirming that.

The pills could have been knocked over in the event of a fall, or she could have been attempting to take them at the time, thinking they would help her symptoms (depending on what they were).

Both appear to have been in similar states of dress, and going about normal business when something catastrophic occurred. Neither appear to have sustained any injuries, and there are no obvious signs of foul play.

CO poisoning makes sense of this, while nothing else comes remotely close.

Im just wondering what they would have needed a space heater for? Were they doing work on something?
Sources of Carbon Monoxide

• Unvented kerosene and gas space heaters.

source :

What is carbon monoxide? | US EPA

DefinitionCarbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, practically odorless, and tasteless gas or liquid. It results from incomplete oxidation of carbon in combustion. Burns with a violet flame. Slightly soluble in water; soluble in alcohol and benzene. Spec

www.epa.gov

 

[MassGuy]

Im just wondering what they would have needed a space heater for? Were they doing work on something?

What is carbon monoxide? | US EPA

DefinitionCarbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, practically odorless, and tasteless gas or liquid. It results from incomplete oxidation of carbon in combustion. Burns with a violet flame. Slightly soluble in water; soluble in alcohol and benzene. Spec

www.epa.gov

That's the thing. Maybe something was going on with the furnace. As we know, furnaces can cause this sort of thing.

The space heater is almost certainly electric, which doesn't emit CO. But it may be a sign of some sort of heating issue, which explains the cause.

I think it's important.

 

[NuttMegg]

Poisoning is my final answer, best guess— Guess we can revisit this when more info comes out

I did bring up food poisoning, that could show up in toxicology I think. I just don't see any black helicopters in this one.

 

[friendlysleuther]

Im just wondering what they would have needed a space heater for? Were they doing work on something?
Sources of Carbon Monoxide

• Unvented kerosene and gas space heaters.

source :

What is carbon monoxide? | US EPA

DefinitionCarbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, practically odorless, and tasteless gas or liquid. It results from incomplete oxidation of carbon in combustion. Burns with a violet flame. Slightly soluble in water; soluble in alcohol and benzene. Spec

www.epa.gov

Was it gas, though? Or electrical ? Maybe just plugged in in bathroom to keep warm after getting out of the shower

 

[friendlysleuther]

I did bring up food poisoning, that could show up in toxicology I think. I just don't see any black helicopters in this one.

Hmm. Did you hear about that Christmas Cake poisoning that killed 3 women? It took a month before someone was arrested for that. Maybe those kinds of labs aren’t always on hand &/ can take longer to process?

I still want to know.. Who would benefit from both of them dying?
What do their wills look like?

 

[whitelilac]

That's the thing. Maybe something was going on with the furnace. As we know, furnaces can cause this sort of thing.

The space heater is almost certainly electric, which doesn't emit CO. But it may be a sign of some sort of heating issue, which explains the cause.

I think it's important.

I sometimes use a portable ceramic heater for a room if I don't want the central heat to be on full blast for the whole house when it's cold. Could that have been a reason...to keep that bathroom and the wardrobe warmer for the dog?

 

[friendlysleuther]

That's the thing. Maybe something was going on with the furnace. As we know, furnaces can cause this sort of thing.

The space heater is almost certainly electric, which doesn't emit CO. But it may be a sign of some sort of heating issue, which explains the cause.

I think it's important.

Electric space heaters do not produce carbon monoxide.. & Electric space heaters are not the same thing as a furnace.