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

[Warwick7]

Mummification usually takes weeks to months, depending on environmental conditions. Given that the maintenance workers hadn't seen them for two weeks, and their bodies were already partially mummified, it’s likely they had been dead for at least two to four weeks, maybe longer. [1] [2] [3]

What we know

• Front door was open
• 1 dog deceased
• Found in different areas of the home
• Both Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were found in similar states of decay.
• No signs of forced entry
• Neither firefighters nor the gas company could find signs of a gas leak
• Arakawa was found lying on her right side in a bathroom, with a space heater "MOVED" near her body, with pills scattered next to her.
• Dog was 10-15ft away from Arakawa, in the bathroom closet.
• Hackman was found near the kitchen, in the assumed 'mud-room'. He was wearing gray sweat pants, a long-sleeve t-shirt, brown slippers, and had a walking-cane
• Hackmans sunglasses were found to the left of his body.
• The parcel of land and residence (1245 Old Sunset Trail) belong to the “Trustee of Edgar Gross.”

Questions

1. How did the other dogs survive for so long? Did they just have an enormous amt of food and water? Dogs can only go about 3-5 days without water before severe dehydration sets in.

In My Opinion..

• Pills scattered about is just odd, This screams coverup
• What breed were the dogs? Could it of been that the dog that was found deceased, was protecting its owners?

[Affadavit]

I only had a few seconds to listen to the 911 call before I had to go to work. But what I heard was the coller said that front door was shut and locked and he was looking through a window. That is opposite of the front door being wide open...

Like I said I didn't get to hear all of the 911 though...

 

[MassGuy]

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

I said "the space heater is almost certainly electric, which doesn't emit CO." So we agree.

And of course a space heater is not the same as a furnace, which wasn't my point. My point was that the space heater may have been used in lieu of a furnace, which may have been having issues. Furnaces that have issues are frequently the cause of CO poisoning.

So the space heater may be very important, in that it is telling us something.

 

[NuttMegg]

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

I'd guess it was one of those countertop electric jobs. In that climate, it gets cold in Feb in Santa Fe, they might have those space heaters in bathrooms just to cut the chill.

 

[ttjo]

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

IDK but in a 4 million (or whatever ) house, youd think you wouldnt need a space heater unless something wasnt working. in any other room you could wear more clothes, but in a bathroom, after a shower, you might want one? I bet something wasnt working with the furnace.

 

[friendlysleuther]

IDK but in a 4 million (or whatever ) house, youd think you wouldnt need a space heater unless something wasnt working. in any other room you could wear more clothes, but in a bathroom, after a shower, you might want one? I bet something wasnt working with the furnace.

Some people have heated bathroom floors just so that when they get out of the shower, they’re not as cold My house is older & I have a heater installed in my bathroom.. I dont get it, but

 

[Cedars]

I don't see how time of death can ever be proven.

That's an interesting question to brainstorm:

Phone use, missed calls or unread texts, notations on schedules, break in routines such such as shopping or appointments, other pill prescriptions (how many pills taken since the refill), mail/newspaper delivery, remains of food at autopsy, remains of food in fridge since last shopping, remains of dishes revealibg the last meal, could anyone/a camera see lights on in house, outdoor security cameras showing routine of going in and out that ceased.

 

[whitelilac]

If something wasn't working with the furnace, wouldn't there be some info about scheduling a repair? Or maybe a malfunction was very recent. In any case, I'm sure authorities have checked out the furnace if CO poisoning is being considered.

 

[friendlysleuther]

I said "the space heater is almost certainly electric, which doesn't emit CO." So we agree.

And of course a space heater is not the same as a furnace, which wasn't my point. My point was that the space heater may have been used in lieu of a furnace, which may have been having issues. Furnaces that have issues are frequently the cause of CO poisoning.

So the space heater may be very important, in that it is telling us something.

It’s past my bedtime & I apologize for reading incorrectly

 

[ttjo]

Some people have heated bathroom floors just so that when they get out of the shower, they’re not as cold My house is older & I have a heater installed in my bathroom.. I dont get it, but

I get it, Im in canada, heated floors are common here. I have 2 space heaters if I want to do anything in my garage in the winter, but they barely take the edge off. (well when its -32C lol)

 

[friendlysleuther]

If something wasn't working with the furnace, wouldn't there be some info about scheduling a repair? Or maybe a malfunction was very recent. In any case, I'm sure authorities have checked out the furnace if CO poisoning is being considered.

Do we even know if they 100% had gas heat ?

 

[MassGuy]

That's an interesting question to brainstorm:

Phone use, missed calls or unread texts, notations on schedules, break in routines such such as shopping or appointments, other pill prescriptions (how many pills taken since the refill), mail/newspaper delivery, remains of food at autopsy, remains of food in fridge since last shopping, remains of dishes revealibg the last meal, could anyone/a camera see lights on in house, outdoor security cameras showing routine of going in and out that ceased.

His wife's phone would be the easiest one, at least for figuring out her time of death (which would likely coincide with his). An analysis of her phone would show the last time she interacted with it, and potentially, the last time it moved.

 

[MassGuy]

Do we even know if they 100% had gas heat ?

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The investigation into the death of Gene Hackman, his wife and dog has found no signs of foul play or gunshot or other wounds, and the gas company is assisting with the probe in a sign that authorities could suspect carbon monoxide poisoning is to blame.

Gene Hackman cause of death: Gas company assisting with investigation

The Oscar-winning actor's wife and dog were also found dead.

www.syracuse.com

 

[friendlysleuther]

I get it, Im in canada, heated floors are common here. I have 2 space heaters if I want to do anything in my garage in the winter, but they barely take the edge off. (well when its -32C lol)

Man.. I dont know how you guys do it there I would always be cold.

There was a time I thought I wouldn’t mind moving there.. (This was before I added Canada to my weather app & I got to see how cold it is there.. constantly)

 

[friendlysleuther]

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The investigation into the death of Gene Hackman, his wife and dog has found no signs of foul play or gunshot or other wounds, and the gas company is assisting with the probe in a sign that authorities could suspect carbon monoxide poisoning is to blame.

Gene Hackman cause of death: Gas company assisting with investigation

The Oscar-winning actor's wife and dog were also found dead.

www.syracuse.com

Thank you. I definitely had read that before

 

[whitelilac]

His wife's phone would be the easiest one, at least for figuring out her time of death (which would likely coincide with his). An analysis of her phone would show the last time she interacted with it, and potentially, the last time it moved.

Yes, and especially if she had the health app, # of steps and so forth. Maybe too she had an Apple watch, maybe Mr. Hackman wore one too.

 

[Cedars]

Do we even know if they 100% had gas heat ?

I personally can't imagine a noisy, dust-blowing furnace in a luxury home.

A gas heated boiler, distributing hot water heating would be more likely, I think.

Also a gas stove is sometimes preferred.

 

[Skigh]

.I have always thought that electric heaters should never be used in bathrooms because of the danger of electrocution if near water.

 

[Cedars]

His wife's phone would be the easiest one, at least for figuring out her time of death (which would likely coincide with his). An analysis of her phone would show the last time she interacted with it, and potentially, the last time it moved.

Yes, if she was a phone junky. Not everyone is...

 

[NuttMegg]

That's an interesting question to brainstorm:

Phone use, missed calls or unread texts, notations on schedules, break in routines such such as shopping or appointments, other pill prescriptions (how many pills taken since the refill), mail/newspaper delivery, remains of food at autopsy, remains of food in fridge since last shopping, remains of dishes revealibg the last meal, could anyone/a camera see lights on in house, outdoor security cameras showing routine of going in and out that ceased.

I meant from the decomposition of one body compared to the other, that was the discussion. Whether they both died at the same time or some minutes apart from the condition of their bodies after being found a week or two later.

 

[MassGuy]

I personally can't imagine a noisy, dust-blowing furnace in a luxury home.

A gas heated boiler, distributing hot water heating would be more likely, I think.

Also a gas stove is sometimes preferred.

It's been 35 years since he basically gutted the house and rebuilt it, so it wouldn't surprise me if it had an aging furnace.

More on the house here: Revisiting Gene Hackman’s House in Santa Fe