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

[Moonsie]

The whole presser just felt like a tip of the hat…no carbon monoxide poisoning. Weird.

I’m wondering if they found something else when they executed the search warrant.

 

[ClearAhead]

Two new tidbits of information stand out in CNNs recent report. The dead dog was in a crate found in the bathroom, but maybe not in the bathroom closet? The details are not clarified very well. And although two cellphones were taken, the actual home was ‘largely’ out of cellphone range? So there could’ve been specific locations of cellphone coverage outside and was that why GH might’ve been heading out the door with his cane and sunglasses when he appeared to have fallen?

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/28/entertainment/what-we-know-gene-hackman-betsy-arakawa-hnk

“A German shepherd dog was also found dead in the bathroom. The dog was in a crate, police have clarified; the affidavit says the dog was in a closet. Two healthy dogs were found on the property.”

“The home where the couple was found is in a gated community at the end of a long, curving driveway. It was a fitting home for the reclusive star, featuring expansive views of nearby mountains but secluded enough to be largely out of the range of cell phone service.”

 

[keek]

I think Betsy had a medical event which caused her death, Mr Hackman hears something, looks for her, finds her in bathroom with dog, put the dog in the closet as it could have been trying to help wake her but was possibly in the way, he then went for help and either had a fall or he himself had a medical event due to the stress.

Moo

Ebm

This makes sense, his wife going into the bathroom to commit suicide right off does not. She knew his frailities for a LONG time. She was his wife and took care of him and his medical needs as needed and could. So sad that it took a week or so and only because it was pest control time that they were found. Who would suspect anything amiss though unless B was not returning calls to people that def would of expected her to. At least have SOMEONE check on her if afar.

 

[ttjo]

I'm stumped.

I wonder what information can be got from the pacemaker. Will there be a record? Pulse... to show if there was stress leading up to the stop.

None of the medications talked about scream suicide, and none I think instant death. Maybe the blood pressure one. Rapid loss of blood pressure?

Could it be this? She knew she didn't ever want to live without him? He had a heart attack and she chose to die too??????

This is crazy.

JMO

There sure doesnt seem to be any other obvious signs of means for suicide, so maybe the BP pills? or its not suicide either, we have to wait again for more info. They will figure it out.

 

[whitelilac]

I think Betsy had a medical event which caused her death, Mr Hackman hears something, looks for her, finds her in bathroom with dog, put the dog in the closet as it could have been trying to help wake her but was possibly in the way, he then went for help and either had a fall or he himself had a medical event due to the stress.

Moo

Ebm

I'm leaning to this too.
Just from experience when my aunt died suddenly, she was healthy, no history. It took a while to determine what it was....aneurysm.
Blood clot to lungs or brain?
I wonder if she had a health app, # steps etc on her phone, which could determine when she died.

 

[PrairieWind]

The poor pup should be autopsied, too, unless they KNOW it died from malnourishment.

An animal "autopsy" is a necropsy and is not routine. It is not required so would have to be requested and paid for by the sheriff's department. It may be clear what its cause of death was, we just don't know. If it died of thirst, that would have been horrible. That breaks my heart.
I am wondering if the wife maybe didn't have a heart attack, or something, collapses. and then Gene fell trying to get help and then died. I don't see any real foul play signs here, just a sad tragedy.

 

[MassGuy]

Two new tidbits of information stand out in CNNs recent report. The dead dog was in a crate found in the bathroom, but maybe not in the bathroom closet? The details are not clarified very well. And although two cellphones were taken, the actual home was ‘largely’ out of cellphone range? So there could’ve been specific locations of cellphone coverage outside and was that why GH might’ve been heading out the door with his cane and sunglasses when he appeared to have fallen?

https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/28/entertainment/what-we-know-gene-hackman-betsy-arakawa-hnk

“A German shepherd dog was also found dead in the bathroom. The dog was in a crate, police have clarified; the affidavit says the dog was in a closet. Two healthy dogs were found on the property.”

“The home where the couple was found is in a gated community at the end of a long, curving driveway. It was a fitting home for the reclusive star, featuring expansive views of nearby mountains but secluded enough to be largely out of the range of cell phone service.”

This negative for carbon monoxide thing really changes everything. I assume the dog succumbed to a lack of food and water, after its owners died, which solves that mystery.

I do like the idea of something happening to his wife first, because he may have been in a position where he was unable to seek help (she would have been if reversed). I really want to know if his health and mental state were as good as we've been lead to believe.

He could have required medication that his wife typically gave him, or been unable to care for himself.

 

[ClearAhead]

I think Betsy had a medical event which caused her death, Mr Hackman hears something, looks for her, finds her in bathroom with dog, put the dog in the closet/crate as it could have been trying to help wake her but was possibly in the way, he then went for help and either had a fall or he himself had a medical event due to the stress.

Moo

Ebm

If I had to take a wild guess I’d say the senior dog became ill and was put in the crate in the bathroom, where it passed. When BH discovered the dog has died she became very distressed and has a sudden heart attack *. Then GH witnesses the tragic scene and he rushes to go outside to the location with cellphone coverage (higher ground?) to call 911 but in his haste he tripped and fell and was unable to get up

ETA * or stroke

My speculation only.

 

[Lyanna]

I'm leaning to this too.
Just from experience when my aunt died suddenly, she was healthy, no history. It took a while to determine what it was....aneurysm.
Blood clot to lungs or brain?
I wonder if she had a health app, # steps etc on her phone, which could determine when she died.

I'm so sorry for your loss

Was there an apple watch/any watch on her wrists in the pic of them both leaving the restaurant? Think I remember seeing something on her wrist but could be a bracelet. Also pic was from 2024 iirc, so if there was some sort of watch with tracking abilities, it could have been bought at a later time.

moo

Went back to check, can't see wrists on restaurant pic, Betsy is wearing long sleeved blouse, but the one of her walking one of the dogs, there does look like some sort of watch just visible by cuff on her left wrist

 

[Gemmie]

I'm stumped.

I wonder what information can be got from the pacemaker. Will there be a record? Pulse... to show if there was stress leading up to the stop.

None of the medications talked about scream suicide, and none I think instant death. Maybe the blood pressure one. Rapid loss of blood pressure?

Could it be this? She knew she didn't ever want to live without him? He had a heart attack and she chose to die too??????

This is crazy.

JMO

While this isn't exactly what I asked Google to find, it does tell us some(?) of what a pacemaker can reveal.

The data included <some person's> heart rate, pacer demand, and cardiac rhythms before, during, and after the fire, police said.

A pacemaker monitors the heart and helps control irregular heart rhythms. The information is recorded and can be retrieved for analysis.

Data on a man's pacemaker helped lead to his indictment, police say

A man charged with arson based partly on data collected from his pacemaker pleaded not guilty Tuesday to setting his Ohio home on fire.

www.statnews.com

 

[Andreee]

Gene Hackman died at least 9 days before his, wife’s bodies found mummified at New Mexico home, sheriff says

The last “event” recorded on “The French Connection” star’s pacemaker was Feb. 17, Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday afternoon.

nypost.com

 

[Gemmie]

I'm stumped.

I wonder what information can be got from the pacemaker. Will there be a record? Pulse... to show if there was stress leading up to the stop.

More info on what a pacemaker can provide datawise...

Almost two days after the man was beaten to death, doctors were able to view the pacemaker's records and produce data for the duration of the incident. By analysing the data they were able to pinpoint crucial times, including when he was awoken, time spent walking around, the altercation with the intruder, and the time of the beating and his death.

Pacemaker pinpoints time of death in murder case - PMC

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[NuttMegg]

If I had to take a wild guess I’d say the senior dog became ill and was put in the crate in the bathroom, where it passed. When BH discovered the dog has died she became very distressed and has a sudden heart attack. Then GH witnesses the tragic scene and he rushes to go outside to the location with cellphone coverage (higher ground?) to call 911 but in his haste he tripped and fell and was unable to get up

My speculation only.

Not asking for a link. But where did we learn they struggled with cell phone coverage? Anyone that rich would have a satellite phone, imo. Yes I saw 2 phones collected.

 

[Lyanna]

This makes sense, his wife going into the bathroom to commit suicide right off does not. She knew his frailities for a LONG time. She was his wife and took care of him and his medical needs as needed and could. So sad that it took a week or so and only because it was pest control time that they were found. Who would suspect anything amiss though unless B was not returning calls to people that def would of expected her to. At least have SOMEONE check on her if afar.

Agree, it's really sad they were there and not found sooner. Not much has been said in tribute to Betsy from family, friends etc that ive seen. Guessing they were really very reclusive and it may not have been that unusual for people not to see/speak with them for long periods?

Moo

 

[Gemmie]

The part that's puzzling to me is he was found in the mudroom with his walking cane and sunglasses nearby. That leads me to believe he either just finished a walk outside... or was about to take one. Neither indicating to me that he had been ill (like how some have wondered if they ate poisonous mushrooms). It just seems like everything was normal, until it wasn't.

And the fact his wife was partially mummified she appears to have died about the same time. Their deaths just have to be connected somehow IMO. But how?

 

[ClearAhead]

Not asking for a link. But where did we learn they struggled with cell phone coverage? Anyone that rich would have a satellite phone, imo. Yes I saw 2 phones collected.

It was in the CNN article that I quoted a couple of my posts ago.

 

[Megnut]

Do we know from where the phones were recovered?

His trying to leave the house for better cell reception makes sense. He falls, can't get up, too much stress on his heart.

Fits if something happened to her first. Perhaps as she was about to take her morning meds.

I wonder how closely they died.

Less a mystery, more a puzzle.

JMO

 

[keek]

Agree, it's really sad they were there and not found sooner. Not much has been said in tribute to Betsy from family, friends etc that ive seen. Guessing they were really very reclusive and it may not have been that unusual for people not to see/speak with them for long periods?

Moo

Yes, we don't know her lifestyle there and I haven't seen any public 'stories' or comments about her either from friends or family.

 

[NuttMegg]

If I had to take a wild guess I’d say the senior dog became ill and was put in the crate in the bathroom, where it passed. When BH discovered the dog has died she became very distressed and has a sudden heart attack. Then GH witnesses the tragic scene and he rushes to go outside to the location with cellphone coverage (higher ground?) to call 911 but in his haste he tripped and fell and was unable to get up

My speculation only.

I don't think he was doing much rushing of late, given that video at the restaurant in Santa Fe in March 2024. But maybe unaccustomed rushing for help is what did him in.

 

[NoeticSoul]

Gene Hackman and his wife tested negative for carbon monoxide, sheriff says

Gene Hackman and his wife tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning.

www.wnem.com