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

[CityKid]

I was struggling to understand how the 911 caller saw both bodies from a window or two if they, as we now know, weren't near each other.

The caller doesn't seem to actually knowledge that he saw two bodies, or at least a male body.
Caller: "I think we just found two *very brief pause* - a one deceased person inside the house."

911: "How old is the patient?"

911: "Is the patient a male or a female."

Caller: "A female, and a male, probably. I don't know. I don't know sir."

I'm not sure where the info that he saw both bodies came from, but it doesn't seem accurate given his words in the 911 call.

The maintenance worker who called said he communicated with them (mostly with Betsy) via phone or text and he rarely saw them when he was there to do work. But he knew there were a male and a female living there, so perhaps he assumed if one of them was deceased, the other might be as well.

Gene Hackman: What we know about the deaths of the film star and his wife

US investigators are trying to establish how Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy died.

www.bbc.com

 

[tlcya]

Now knowing what medications were found and collected from the home, I'm leaning more towards Carbon Monoxide poisoning being the cause of death for both GH and BA.

I think the colder snap of weather a few weeks ago made it necessary to heat the area of the house used by the couple beyond what the space heaters could handle. This may have been done by the use of the gas furnace or fireplaces (Gas or Wood) or possibly gas or fuel burning space heaters which then generated the Carbon Monoxide inside the house.

A gas or fuel burning portable space heater would eventually run out of fuel and no longer produce Carbon Monoxide. Same with a wood burning fireplace.

I think Betsy went to the bathroom to get medicine for a headache, she collapsed while in the bathroom. Gene may have been unaware for some time of her demise. He eventually went looking for her or decided to exit the house after feeling the effects of the Carbon Monoxide falling short of the door and perishing in the mudroom.

JMO

or possibly Gene was outdoors with the three dogs letting them do their business, while indoors his wife was seeking medication for a headache she may have thought was related to her blood pressure. Upon his return to the house, Gene succumbed and fell to the floor leaving the door ajar. The dogs, confused, do not understand why their beloved humans are laying down on the floor and unresponsive. Two wander the house while one lays near "mom". The near to mom pup succumbs because it won't leave its human while the others wander in and out of the house, confused. Which might explain why they don't succumb.

IF it turns out to be carbon monoxide or some other type of inhaled toxin.

 

[tlcya]

I was struggling to understand how the 911 caller saw both bodies from a window or two if they, as we now know, weren't near each other.

The caller doesn't seem to actually knowledge that he saw two bodies. Let alone the gender of the body.


911: "How old is the patient?"

911: "Is the patient a male or a female."


I'm not sure where the info that he saw both bodies came from, but it doesn't seem accurate given his words in the 911 call.

I am betting caller is assuming after seeing one dead person (likely Gene) they assumed after calling out and getting no response that the other occupant of the home may also be dead but caller hadn't set eyes on her and so didn't want to say for sure that was the case.

 

[Joe Friday]

This is the most reasonable assumption. I know LE said they checked the house and didn't find any signs of a leak, but obviously if the autopsies/toxicologies come back positive, they'll have to investigate further.

The gas company checked for leaks on the pipes outside. The Fire Dept check for Carbon Monoxide inside the house to make sure it was safe for responders and investigator.

I did not hear of any testing of appliances that would produce Carbon Monoxide inside of the house. Meaning firing up the furnace or fireplaces to see if Carbon Monoxide inside the house became present. I'm sure if the cause of death is determined to be Carbon Monoxide testing will be done, unless there is an obvious source of Carbon Monoxide such as a fuel burning space heater that looks like it was being used.

You fire one of these up in your home to keep warm and you will have problems.

JMO

 

[jmz]

here is the schematic that @friendlysleuther posted earlier ( saves the trouble of having to go look)
rooms labelled OMP are open masonry porch ( mudroom off of that maybe?) Maybe someone can determine which mud room it was because that is way out of my knowledge base.
Parcel Map Search | Office of the Santa Fe County Assessor

So, the garages are detached, mud room is usually off garage going into the house, so hard to say. They most definitely probably had a place to bring the dogs in and themselves, to hang coats, take off shoes.

 

[Rolypolyoly]

And why only one when there were three?

Yes! It seems more likely that Brtsy was starting her morning routine and hadn't let the dog out yet before she had some kind of medical emergency.
My father recently passed of a heart attack in the bathroom, no warning signs at all, he just went to the bathroom one morning and died. He was only 69. It happens, and I think this is what happened here, Betsy sadly died suddenly and Gene very possibly had a fall whilst coming to find her and couldn't get up . JMO.

 

[STAGNUM]

Here’s some photos of the home I found
Goodnight

The kitchen looks like the one used at Lalo's place in Breaking Bad...

 

[STAGNUM]

Well, that's definitely a gas hob in the kitchen.

Yeah, if the grease filters were left dirty for a long while, the natural convention of the exhaust hood would be impeded. The manner and position of the bodies looking like both simply collapsed suggests CO poisoning. Very tragic and sad for the family left behind. I am sure they had fond memories.

 

[STAGNUM]

I think it’s because they were needing to get the warrant, then the press went on a media frenzy about it (typical)

Yeah I would wait for the coroners report. The media tends to amplify stuff and is disrespectful of snapping pictures of the daughters. I am sure they had a few moments reminiscing about GH and a smile or two will appear. Nothing sinister. They will have a rough road ahead with the media.

 

[Moonsie]

Now knowing what medications were found and collected from the home, I'm leaning more towards Carbon Monoxide poisoning being the cause of death for both GH and BA.

I think the colder snap of weather a few weeks ago made it necessary to heat the area of the house used by the couple beyond what the space heaters could handle. This may have been done by the use of the gas furnace or fireplaces (Gas or Wood) or possibly gas or fuel burning space heaters which then generated the Carbon Monoxide inside the house.

A gas or fuel burning portable space heater would eventually run out of fuel and no longer produce Carbon Monoxide. Same with a wood burning fireplace.

I think Betsy went to the bathroom to get medicine for a headache, she collapsed while in the bathroom. Gene may have been unaware for some time of her demise. He eventually went looking for her or decided to exit the house after feeling the effects of the Carbon Monoxide falling short of the door and perishing in the mudroom.

JMO

I think this is pretty close to what happened. I’m thinking this happened in the morning, close to first thing. They are both in sort of comfortable house clothes per affidavit.

G is wearing sunglasses and slippers and has his cane. Maybe let dogs out and was standing there in mudroom waiting for them to come back in.

B is in bathroom, getting meds and/or letting other dog (that maybe slept in a crate while the other two slept with them) out of crate.

I bet they sleep with their door closed so dogs can’t wander during the night.

I’m thinking the whole episode did not take long.

moo.

 

[BrianJohnson]

….browser froze, DBM

 

[Joe Friday]

It can be a slow poisoning and they may have spent most of their time in a confined portion of the home.

I had CO poisoning once. Gas leak I was completely unaware of. I was asleep in an upstairs bedroom and a neighbor smelled gas and called the police. I woke up to the fire department trying to knock down my front door because I never heard them knocking or ringing the bell. Thanks to the neighbor and a slightly cracked bedroom window I survived, but the headache was other worldly bad.

BBM

In order for Carbon Monoxide to be produced, the gas must be burned. Carbon Monoxide is odorless. If you neighbor smelled gas, it was gas leaking prior to being burnt. Which means it was unlikely you had CO poisoning.

 

[BrianJohnson]

Yeah I would wait for the coroners report. The media tends to amplify stuff and is disrespectful of snapping pictures of the daughters. I am sure they had a few moments reminiscing about GH and a smile or two will appear. Nothing sinister. They will have a rough road ahead with the media.

Media are vultures, when my mother died last Jan my other 3 siblings came down and we spent hours looking back at her life over a few drinks, many a laugh was shared looking back at the memories of her life

 

[NuttMegg]

Can someone clarify that they were found in the smaller house, or larger?

 

[Cherwell]

Brit here. Can anyone tell me if the "bathroom" where Betsy was found is an actual bathroom (with a bath in it) or just a toilet?

 

[STAGNUM]

Media are vultures, when my mother died last Jan my other 3 siblings came down and we spent hours looking back at her life over a few drinks, many a laugh was shared looking back at the memories of her life

Same here.

 

[ttjo]

Yeah, if the grease filters were left dirty for a long while, the natural convention of the exhaust hood would be impeded. The manner and position of the bodies looking like both simply collapsed suggests CO poisoning. Very tragic and sad for the family left behind. I am sure they had fond memories.

makes me want to go check my filters.

 

[whitelilac]

Can someone clarify that they were found in the smaller house, or larger?

Initially I thought it was the smaller house, then reports said it was unknown. However in the latest NBC interview with authorities the sheriff, which I linked above, said the house was very large and had several doors to the outside. The smaller house is iirc 2100 sq ft, which is not large. My house is 2100 sq ft and I certainly do not consider it large.
So it's a bit confusing.

 

[al66pine]

I am not sure how accurate this is but it shows the inside of the house so FWIW:

@ttjo TYVM for the 3 1/2 min vid tour of Hackman's house.

Possible CarbMon source?
I noticed two fireplaces, each apparently w a fire going.
1:00 min, a kiva(ish)-style fireplace.
2:10 min, fireplace in "master bedroom."

Could be traditional woodburning or gas, or maybe an electric fireplace insert.

Either woodburning or gas could create a deadly situation iiuc.

 

[DS2021]

That press conference should be starting soon