A tranquil Santa Fe neighborhood has become the focus of a disturbing inquiry as officials look into the unexpected and mysterious deaths of Hollywood icon Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa. Legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered dead inside their Santa Fe home, and their deaths are now being investigated as suspicious.
Authorities are currently examining the strange circumstances, which include the death of one of the couple’s dogs.On October 8, 1994, Betsy Arakawa and actor Gene Hackman attended the Thalians Ball (in honor of Liza Minnelli) at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, California. According to TMZ, two maintenance workers discovered the dead after not seeing them in around two weeks. When the workers arrived and found the dead, they noted that the front door was open. However, authorities indicated that there was no evidence of forced entry.
According to a search warrant obtained by TMZ, a Santa Fe detective stated in an affidavit that “the death of the two deceased individuals was suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation because the reporting party found the front door of the residence unsecured and opened.”
The affidavit contained some alarming elements. Deputies discovered a healthy dog running loose outdoors, and another healthy dog was beside Ms. Arakawa’s body. A third dog was found dead 10 to 15 feet away in a bathroom closet.
Investigators also discovered a heater that had been moved, an open pill bottle with pills scattered beside Ms. Arakawa, and Mr. Hackman’s body in a different room. According to the affidavit, deputies found no visible indicators of a gas leak. Ms. Arakawa was allegedly located in the bathroom, while Mr. Hackman was discovered resting in the mudroom.
When found, both were in similar physical states. Mr. Hackman was wearing gray sweatpants, a blue long-sleeve T-shirt, and brown slippers, and he was discovered with a cane nearby. According to the affidavit, sunglasses were also placed to his left. One deputy said that Mr. Hackman appeared to have “suddenly fallen.” In a phone interview with The New York Times, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza stated that neither body showed any evident evidence of trauma.
Investigators also confirmed that no notes were left on the scene. Sheriff Mendoza also stated that the search of the property was still ongoing as of Thursday, February 27, 2025. The timing of events is unknown, but deputies believe the couple’s bodies were in the house for at least a day before being discovered. According to TMZ, Sheriff Mendoza has not ruled out any possibilities, noting that the deaths might be due to a double homicide, suicide, accidental causes, or natural causes.
As the inquiry continues, additional details about how the deaths were discovered emerge. According to AP News, a maintenance worker spotted the pair during a routine visit to the property on Wednesday, February 26. The worker said that when he arrived, the front door was open, prompting him to notify law enforcement. However, during a 911 call, the worker stated that he was unable to enter the house at that time.
When the operator inquired whether the people inside were breathing, the worker responded, “I have no idea. I am not in the house. It’s closed. It’s locked. I can’t go in. But I can see her sleeping [sic] down on the floor through the glass.” The maintenance worker and another worker, who also spoke with investigators, indicated that they rarely saw the homeowners and had not communicated with them in roughly two weeks.
In the days after the finding, authorities rushed rapidly to conduct autopsies on Hackman and Arakawa. The findings provided the first peek into what may have caused their abrupt deaths — and added a new layer of clarity to the perplexing case. Authorities have published preliminary autopsy results following the untimely deaths of the Hollywood actor and his wife, giving new information as the investigation continues.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office revealed on its official Facebook page on February 27, 2025, that investigators discovered no evidence of foul play in the untimely deaths of actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 63. While the cause of death is uncertain, investigators have ordered more tests. Autopsies indicated no external trauma on either individual, necessitating additional investigation.
They have requested carbon monoxide and toxicity tests, which may take weeks. The findings may reveal whether environmental variables or hazardous substances played an impact. As previously reported, the couple was found dead in their Santa Fe Summit home on Wednesday afternoon, February 26. Denise Womack-Avila, a spokesman for the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, said deputies arrived at Hackman and Arakawa’s home on Old Sunset Trail at 1:45 p.m. to answer to a welfare check request.