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

[Cedars]

The caller claimed to be able to see both bodies. Is there any solid evidence of which door was ajar? I assumed it to be the one nearest Gene's body, but that night not be the case.

As I quoted from the search warrant above, the front door was found ajar by deputies. They say nothing about the mudroom door or any other doors leading outside.

 

[IQuestion]

The elderly are more susceptible to CO poisoning than younger people. Some report/reasons are: pre-existing health/breathing issues, cognitive issues and/or they are more likely to spend long periods of time in the house. Since both GH and his wife were dressed in gray sweats, were planning on going outside but were overwhelmed by CO? Lots of possible scenarios. At a time like this, one can only find solace in that they were not the victims of a violent act. (wondered if BA had relatives in/around Osaka area?)

 

[Knox]

ArcGIS Web Application - Search here and enter addresses below.
1425 OLD SUNSET TRL - Large Home
1424 OLD SUNSET TRL - Smaller property in Betsy's name.

 

[Quill]

When someone has fallen, a devoted spouse is usually focussed on saving them and will call 911 for emergency aid, for potential resusitation.

Not self-declare them dead...and just leave them lying there...not even give them a burial...

I agree with you wholeheartedly.

 

[Moonsie]

Who is Edgar Gross?

He was a lawyer. Represented Gene and a lot of other Hollywood actors. Passed away several years ago. Hopefully The Hollywood Reporter is considered MSM.

Edgar F. Gross, Hollywood Business Manager and Producer, Dies at 85

His clients included William Friedkin, John Boorman, Gene Hackman and Joe Cocker.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[Ghostwheel]

I'm trying to make sense out of their deaths being suspicious enough for an investigation, yet no foul play was suspected? Can someone help me make sense out of that because I can't.

Things that are suspicious:
One deceased dog but not all of them.
Both Gene and his wife dying at the same time or approximately the same time.
Front door ajar, especially if everyone involved said they didn't go in or try the door (try the door has not been confirmed or denied, but would be a reason for suspicion).
Pills strewn about.
Deceased in different rooms (could point to accidental/natural death followed by the other person being overcome with sadness and bad things ensued. Dog just got into something they should not have).

Suspicious does not necessarily mean "Foul Play", BTW. It might mean they need to confirm or deny what appearances are. But the front door ajar is definitely worth figuring out. Could be they never locked their doors and someone peeped in. But LE would have to make sure.

 

[Knox]

He was a lawyer. Represented Gene and a lot of other Hollywood actors. Passed away several years ago. Hopefully The Hollywood Reporter is considered MSM.

Edgar F. Gross, Hollywood Business Manager and Producer, Dies at 85

His clients included William Friedkin, John Boorman, Gene Hackman and Joe Cocker.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Login | ClerkTrack Web

 

[Quill]

I just saw this.

Preliminary autopsies performed on Gene Hackman and wife find no external injuries following their ‘suspicious’ deaths

(CNN) — Initial findings from preliminary autopsies performed on Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, show there was “no external trauma to either individual,” the Santa Fe

www.wtva.com

 

[DS2021]

I just saw this.

Preliminary autopsies performed on Gene Hackman and wife find no external injuries following their ‘suspicious’ deaths

(CNN) — Initial findings from preliminary autopsies performed on Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, show there was “no external trauma to either individual,” the Santa Fe

www.wtva.com

No signs of foul play, but its not completely ruled out

That seems normal to me

 

[ttjo]

Suspicious does not necessarily mean "Foul Play", BTW. It might mean they need to confirm or deny what appearances are. But the front door ajar is definitely worth figuring out. Could be they never locked their doors and someone peeped in. But LE would have to make sure.

news articles say he moved to new Mexico to live a reclusive lifestyle and escape the stress of hollywood. Maybe leaving your door open was safe where he was.
and the 911 caller said " you cant get in I'll meet you at the gate and bring you up" probably had all kinds of security.

Gene Hackman's reclusive life in New Mexico before actor & wife found dead

GENE Hackman led a rather reclusive life in New Mexico before he and his wife were found dead. Police in Santa Fe revealed today that the Hollywood movie star, 95, was found dead alongsid…

www.thesun.co.uk

 

[Ghostwheel]

I read the whole thread and no one has mentioned this. Why did the 911 caller first say there was two dead bodies, then switch it to one? I know he was nervous but ...

And if he hadn't been in the house, how did he know there were two bodies? He said he could see one through the window. Could he see both from that window? Strange.

link to 911 call:

911 caller pleads for help over Gene Hackman's death - 'He's not moving'

A 911 caller frantically pleaded for help after finding Gene Hackman and his wife not moving inside their New Mexico home, as police arrived on the scene

www.irishstar.com

If he could see the lady lying on the ground and not moving and no one was helping her and (I assume) knowing the frailness of Gene Hackman, he might assume that both were deceased. I would, myself. And he did say 2 or 1 at the beginning of the call, like he assumed both were dead, but then maybe only one. That no one had seen or heard from either for "a while" ( whatever that means), the thought would likely have been both deceased. IMO

 

[Moonsie]

View attachment 566832

Login | ClerkTrack Web

Yes perfect. So Edgar was the trustee of their trust, and the home was part of their trust. I’m assuming the GE in the name of the trust is GEne, and the BE is BEtsy.

Source: I’m a former lawyer.

moo.

 

[OldProtozoan]

He was quite frail, not at all like the photographs. The space heater is mentioned. The decomposition rates of the two bodies seem to be different. Betsy seems to have been dead longer and decomposition further along. Mummification is mentioned. Mummification is not a normal process of decomposition. The status of the space heater (i.e. was it on? was it blowing hot air?) is not mentioned. In one account it was mentioned as being knocked over and there was speculation that Betsy may have knocked it over when she fell. Most space heaters shut off if knocked over, but if it was operational then a functional space heater could be contributing to the mummification of Betsy's corpse, and perhaps lessening the unpleasantness (odors) of being around the deceased. This is all pure speculation, but maybe GH placed the space heater and wandered around for a few days before taking a pill or dying of natural causes. (We don't know his mental state, or his capabilities, and medical problems.) If the pills are the cause of death, then GH may have not taken his for days. Alternatively, maybe he wasn't there mentally, e.g. couldn't get water to drink for example, and died of natural causes. The dead dog suggests to me that the pills are lethal and the same was administered to the dog. Pure crazy speculation, but with the elimination of carbon monoxide as a possible cause, these deaths are "suspicious" and the time-of-death, location of the bodies, fingerprints, security cameras (if they have them), will eventually tell us the story of the last days of Gene and Betsy. It is likely to be bizarre...

 

[Knox]

Yes perfect. So Edgar was the trustee of their trust, and the home was part of their trust. I’m assuming the GE in the name of the trust is GEne, and the BE is BEtsy.

Source: I’m a former lawyer.

moo.

Yes, I was verifying my earlier assumptions on the Trustee/Trust.

 

[STAGNUM]

Who is Edgar Gross?

Edgar Gross was GH's agent. If you look him up, he was an agent to many actors in Hollywood. He is deceased. I suspect that the house was in a trust formed by Edgar Gross to protect actors from others learning where they live. Edgar Gross may have served as a lender for the home as well. It will be interesting to see how that plays out in Probate.

 

[MassGuy]

He was quite frail, not at all like the photographs. The space heater is mentioned. The decomposition rates of the two bodies seem to be different. Betsy seems to have been dead longer and decomposition further along. Mummification is mentioned. Mummification is not a normal process of decomposition. The status of the space heater (i.e. was it on? was it blowing hot air?) is not mentioned. In one account it was mentioned as being knocked over and there was speculation that Betsy may have knocked it over when she fell. Most space heaters shut off if knocked over, but if it was operational then a functional space heater could be contributing to the mummification of Betsy's corpse, and perhaps lessening the unpleasantness (odors) of being around the deceased. This is all pure speculation, but maybe GH placed the space heater and wandered around for a few days before taking a pill or dying of natural causes. (We don't know his mental state, or his capabilities, and medical problems.) If the pills are the cause of death, then GH may have not taken his for days. Alternatively, maybe he wasn't there mentally, e.g. couldn't get water to drink for example, and died of natural causes. The dead dog suggests to me that the pills are lethal and the same was administered to the dog. Pure crazy speculation, but with the elimination of carbon monoxide as a possible cause, these deaths are "suspicious" and the time-of-death, location of the bodies, fingerprints, security cameras (if they have them), will eventually tell us the story of the last days of Gene and Betsy. It is likely to be bizarre...

They didn't find carbon monoxide in the air, but that doesn't mean it wasn't there at the time.

I posted this earlier in regards to CO not being detected:

1. **Source Stops Producing CO**: If the carbon monoxide came from something like a malfunctioning heater, car exhaust, or a small fire that burned out, the source might stop emitting CO before the fire department gets there. Without an ongoing leak, the gas levels could drop.

2. **Ventilation**: CO is slightly lighter than air and can disperse through open windows, doors, or natural airflow. If someone opens a door or window after the person dies—say, a neighbor or family member checking in—the gas could clear out before testing happens.

3. **Delayed Discovery**: If the death isn’t discovered immediately, hours or even days could pass. By then, CO might have dissipated naturally, especially in a drafty or unsealed space.

CO poisoning leaves clues in the body—like cherry-red skin from carboxyhemoglobin in the blood—which a medical examiner could spot during an autopsy. So, while the fire department might not find gas, other evidence could still point to CO as the cause. It’s rare for it to vanish without a trace, but the gas itself can absolutely be gone by the time they arrive if conditions allow it to dissipate.

 

[sunshineray]

From the search warrant:
-Officers approached the front door, which was ajar
-Immediately to the left of the front door was the open bathroom door, with BA
-searching the remainder of the house, in the kitchen they could see legs of deceased, in the adjacent mudroom.

So, it seems it wasn't the mudroom door that was ajar, it was the front door.

BA was not in the master bathroom, she was in the front entrance bathroom or "powder room".

ETA I couldn't get the warrant to attach.

And the officers check the whole property and said everything else was locked and secured.

https://www.scribd.com/document/833553740/Gene-Hackman-Affidavit

 

[NuttMegg]

Cryin' shame. My favorite of the times, Mississippi Burning, Hoosiers. He never played himself like so many actors do.

I've read around & don't see any speculation over food poisoning. At first this morning I was led, or led myself towards a pact, 2 long married people, the older one possibly receiving a fatal diagnosis, the younger not wanting to live without. Reports hint they were near recluses. I pictured their going, wrapped around their beloved pet they didn't want to leave behind.

That was before all the details trickled out.

Now I wonder about food poisoning.

 

[ttjo]

They didn't find carbon monoxide in the air, but that doesn't mean it wasn't there at the time.

I posted this earlier in regards to CO not being detected:

1. **Source Stops Producing CO**: If the carbon monoxide came from something like a malfunctioning heater, car exhaust, or a small fire that burned out, the source might stop emitting CO before the fire department gets there. Without an ongoing leak, the gas levels could drop.

2. **Ventilation**: CO is slightly lighter than air and can disperse through open windows, doors, or natural airflow. If someone opens a door or window after the person dies—say, a neighbor or family member checking in—the gas could clear out before testing happens.

3. **Delayed Discovery**: If the death isn’t discovered immediately, hours or even days could pass. By then, CO might have dissipated naturally, especially in a drafty or unsealed space.

CO poisoning leaves clues in the body—like cherry-red skin from carboxyhemoglobin in the blood—which a medical examiner could spot during an autopsy. So, while the fire department might not find gas, other evidence could still point to CO as the cause. It’s rare for it to vanish without a trace, but the gas itself can absolutely be gone by the time they arrive if conditions allow it to dissipate.

I watched a documentary on law and crime where a little girl died from carbon monoxide poisoning b/c the parents burned coal to heat up their trailer. No signs of carbon monoxide at the time of discovery because the coals were not burning anymore. , LE thought the parents were high. Autopsy results confirmed it was carbon monoxide poisoning that they all had, but the levels in the little girl were too high so she passed away. The parents couldn't walk or talk and they all had flu like symptoms.

 

[whitelilac]

Cryin' shame. My favorite of the times, Mississippi Burning, Hoosiers. He never played himself like so many actors do.

I've read around & don't see any speculation over food poisoning. At first this morning I was led, or led myself towards a pact, 2 long married people, the older one possibly receiving a fatal diagnosis, the younger not wanting to live without. Reports hint they were near recluses. I pictured their going, wrapped around their beloved pet they didn't want to leave behind.

That was before all the details trickled out.

Now I wonder about food poisoning.

I would think if the cause was food poisoning, there would be evidence of vomiting. (I've been there....)
It's possible there was but has not been disclosed.