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

[NuttMegg]

Years after Gene Hackman retired from acting, he was at dinner with a friend in New Mexico who wanted to know how actors were able to cry on cue.

“He put his head down at the table for about 30 seconds and raised his head up and there are tears coming down,” the friend, Doug Lanham, recalled. “He looked at me and goes, ‘How do you like that?’”
_______
Friends described Ms. Arakawa as Mr. Hackman’s fierce protector, especially as he grew older. In 2012, after Mr. Hackman was struck by a car while biking, Ms. Arakawa dressed up as a nurse to get in and out of a hospital without attracting the attention of photographers, Mr. Allin recalled.

For Gene Hackman, a Jarring End to a Quiet, Art-Filled Life in Santa Fe

Mr. Hackman, who was found dead with his wife and one of their dogs, had written novels and painted since leaving Hollywood behind for retirement in New Mexico.

www.nytimes.com

 

[sassyblue]

Years after Gene Hackman retired from acting, he was at dinner with a friend in New Mexico who wanted to know how actors were able to cry on cue.

“He put his head down at the table for about 30 seconds and raised his head up and there are tears coming down,” the friend, Doug Lanham, recalled. “He looked at me and goes, ‘How do you like that?’”
_______
Friends described Ms. Arakawa as Mr. Hackman’s fierce protector, especially as he grew older. In 2012, after Mr. Hackman was struck by a car while biking, Ms. Arakawa dressed up as a nurse to get in and out of a hospital without attracting the attention of photographers, Mr. Allin recalled.

For Gene Hackman, a Jarring End to a Quiet, Art-Filled Life in Santa Fe

Mr. Hackman, who was found dead with his wife and one of their dogs, had written novels and painted since leaving Hollywood behind for retirement in New Mexico.

www.nytimes.com

Bless her heart. She loved him so much. And he obviously loved her so much. Despite the mystery of their death's I'm so glad they are still together even now.

 

[NuttMegg]

He said the couple had a hand signal that Mr. Hackman would use if he needed to get out of an uncomfortable conversation with a fan. Ms. Arakawa was intent on keeping him eating healthy, and his friends recalled him sneaking the occasional muffin or cinnamon bun when she was not there.

“He said many times that he would have been dead without Betsy,” Mr. Allin said,

For Gene Hackman, a Jarring End to a Quiet, Art-Filled Life in Santa Fe

Mr. Hackman, who was found dead with his wife and one of their dogs, had written novels and painted since leaving Hollywood behind for retirement in New Mexico.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Inobu]

The 911 call doesn't sound right.

Gene Hackman, wife and dog found dead in home under 'suspicious' circumstances; 2 other dogs found alive

The couple was found during a welfare check after their neighbor called in concerned about their well-being.

abcnews.go.com

Arakawa was found lying on her side on the floor in a bathroom, with a space heater near her body, according to the search warrant.

Her body showed signs of decomposition, the document said. There was mummification to her hands and feet, the document said.

On the counter near Arakawa was an opened prescription bottle, with pills scattered, according to the search warrant.

The Santa Fe City Fire Department found no signs of a possible carbon monoxide leak or poisoning, the document said. If there was carbon monoxide at the scene, it could have vented out of the home through the open front door before responders arrived.

It's locked. I can't go in, but I see them...she's laying down on the floor from the window.

That makes no sense.

 

[arielilane]

@CStewartNews


The Santa Fe County Sheriff will hold a news conference at 5pm ET to give an update on the death of Gene Hackman, his wife, and their dog.

We are awaiting a Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office update on Gene Hackman's death shortly.

2:51 PM · Feb 28, 2025


Santa Fe Sheriff there is no official cause of death yet For Gene Hackman and his wife.


The Santa Fe Sheriff says Gene Hackman and his wife tested negative for Carbon Monoxide.


Santa Fe Sheriff says that Gene Hackman's pacemaker's last event was February 17th. He was found on the Wednesday the 26th.


The Santa Fe Sheriff says Hackman and Arakawa were very private people so there is not believed to be surveillance from property.


The Santa Fe Sheriff is not giving too many answers about the medication reportedly found near
Arakawa citing HIPPA laws



That concludes the Santa Fe Sheriff news conference. Still no cause of death for Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa, and their dog. Sheriff says he is waiting for autopsy and toxicology results to come back and that could take weeks or months.


The Sheriff did not want to say who the pills were prescribed to, citing HIPPA laws...information about the pills found near Arakawa was included in a search warrant released to several members of the media including us at
@LawCrimeNetwork .

 

[friendlysleuther]

lmk when you guys are ready to discuss food poisoning

 

[HmmMysterious]

lmk when you guys are ready to discuss food poisoning

Maybe in the next thread. This one is already 50 pages long. @Sillybilly @MadMcGoo I think now is the time.

 

[Lucy6226]

lmk when you guys are ready to discuss food poisoning

It's been touched on a few times in this thread

 

[Tricia]

Sheriff's press conference.
Both tested negative for carbon monoxide.
Feb 17th was the "event" recorded on Hackman's pacemaker. Pathologist told sheriff that is when Hackman died.
New theory.
Gene Hackman has a heart attack and dies. His wife kills herself. The dog dead in the closet may have already been sick and perhaps died before Hackman.
I can't imagine his wife leaving a living dog in their home to starve to death.

 

[friendlysleuther]

It's been touched on a few times in this thread

Well yes but, I mean when people are really ready

 

[armchairagatha]

@CStewartNews


The Santa Fe County Sheriff will hold a news conference at 5pm ET to give an update on the death of Gene Hackman, his wife, and their dog.

View attachment 567073


We are awaiting a Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office update on Gene Hackman's death shortly.

View attachment 567074
2:51 PM · Feb 28, 2025


Santa Fe Sheriff there is no official cause of death yet For Gene Hackman and his wife.


The Santa Fe Sheriff says Gene Hackman and his wife tested negative for Carbon Monoxide.


Santa Fe Sheriff says that Gene Hackman's pacemaker's last event was February 17th. He was found on the Wednesday the 26th.


The Santa Fe Sheriff says Hackman and Arakawa were very private people so there is not believed to be surveillance from property.


The Santa Fe Sheriff is not giving too many answers about the medication reportedly found near
Arakawa citing HIPPA laws



That concludes the Santa Fe Sheriff news conference. Still no cause of death for Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa, and their dog. Sheriff says he is waiting for autopsy and toxicology results to come back and that could take weeks or months.


The Sheriff did not want to say who the pills were prescribed to, citing HIPPA laws...information about the pills found near Arakawa was included in a search warrant released to several members of the media including us at
@LawCrimeNetwork .

HIPAA compliance doesn’t apply to pacemakers? They shared that Gene had a pacemaker that stopped on Feb 17th. But can’t share who the prescription medication belonged to? My best guess is they were hers. Everyone already knew he was old and had heart issues. So not really sensational news if they were his.

 

[annpats]

It is completely unbelievable that Betsy would have taken her own life suddenly in the bathroom out of grief from Gene's death without calling anyone.

Why is it?!
Who knows what anyone will do in the throes of grief!

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Well yes but, I mean when people are really ready

i would guess that they are investigating this with whatever clues and evidence that they have right now.
i would think, there would be clues... remains of any vomit, any food left out or in the fridge..,.
I think any research of this would be done....as best they can at this later date.

 

[bbbald]

So very sad.

 

[Izzylizzy]

.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Sheriff's press conference.
Both tested negative for carbon monoxide.
Feb 17th was the "event" recorded on Hackman's pacemaker. Pathologist told sheriff that is when Hackman died.
New theory.
Gene Hackman has a heart attack and dies. His wife kills herself. The dog dead in the closet may have already been sick and perhaps died before Hackman.
I can't imagine his wife leaving a living dog in their home to starve to death.

BA killing herself in despair because GH died doesn't fit for me.

First of all because he's 95 and she must know it's going to happen soon. Mentally she had to have thought about it. And he's a beloved public figure so she would want to make sure he got whatever service he wanted, or his daughters wanted, etc.

But even if she *was* distraught enough to want to die with him, IMO she would have been laying next to him, hugging him or at least holding his hand.

Not to mention, none of the pills mentioned would be likely to be used to kill oneself, unless perhaps it was the whole bottle of tylenol.

No the only thing that makes sense to me is that she died first, and he either had a heart attack/stroke in shock, or simply fell and then couldn't get up when she wasn't there to help him.

MOO of course

 

[Izzylizzy]

 

[Inobu]

The 911 call doesn't sound right.

Gene Hackman, wife and dog found dead in home under 'suspicious' circumstances; 2 other dogs found alive

The couple was found during a welfare check after their neighbor called in concerned about their well-being.

abcnews.go.com

Arakawa was found lying on her side on the floor in a bathroom, with a space heater near her body, according to the search warrant.

Her body showed signs of decomposition, the document said. There was mummification to her hands and feet, the document said.

On the counter near Arakawa was an opened prescription bottle, with pills scattered, according to the search warrant.

The Santa Fe City Fire Department found no signs of a possible carbon monoxide leak or poisoning, the document said. If there was carbon monoxide at the scene, it could have vented out of the home through the open front door before responders arrived.

It's locked. I can't go in, but I see them...she's laying down on the floor from the window.

That makes no sense.

A German shepherd dog was also found dead in the bathroom. The affidavit initially said the dog was in a closet, but police later clarified it was in a crate. Two other healthy dogs were found on the property.

The space heater is a clue. What kind? electrical or combustion. Find it hard to believe it to be a combustion type which gives off carbon monoxide.

Too many questionable circumstances.

 

[Snoop Sister]

Occam’s razor - she died first due to a sudden medical emergency (heart attack is my guess since heart medication pills were found scattered in the bathroom where she was found). He went looking for her around the house when she didn’t come around to take care of him like she did everyday. Thought she might be in the garage or outside. He was probably too dependent on her to even move around the house so the strain was too much for him. So he falls, and either can’t get up or has a cardiac event and passes. RIP. MOO. A sad end to a screen legend and his wife.

Not sure where you got “heart medication pills” were found scattered? As in the presser, the Chief of Police clearly stated that he could not release the type of pills found scattered in the bathroom.

 

[armchairagatha]

Not sure where you got “heart medication pills” were found scattered? As in the presser, the Chief of Police clearly stated that he could not release the type of pills found scattered in the bathroom.

See this :

It will be interesting to see if the planner indicates any kind of mental decline or plan.

Heart medication but that could just be Gene's.
View attachment 566971