Death of Gene Hackman, wife and dog deemed ‘suspicious’ - pills found scattered

Questions swirl around the deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa as details of the scene trickle out

Reading Time:3 minutes

Actor Gene Hackman at the Golden Globe Awards in 2003. File photo: Reuters

Published: 2:07am, 28 Feb 2025Updated: 2:48pm, 28 Feb 2025

Authorities were investigating the deaths of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, his wife and their dog at their home in New Mexico after they were discovered by a sheriff’s deputy who said the circumstances of their death were suspicious enough to warrant a deeper look.

There were no signs of obvious blunt-force trauma, carbon monoxide poisoning or forced entry into the home, according to a search warrant filed in the Santa Fe Magistrate Court.

While one dog was found dead inside the home, there were two other dogs running around the property and Hackman’s and wife Betsy Arakawa’s bodies showed signs that they had fallen down abruptly, the warrant stated.

Their bodies were discovered in Santa Fe on Wednesday afternoon during a welfare check, officials said. A neighbourhood security official was able to see the two lying unresponsive on the ground, according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa leave a restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 2024. Photo: TNS

Deputies with the Sheriff’s Office discovered Hackman, 95, Arakawa, 64, and the dog shortly before 2pm. Hackman’s and Arakawa’s bodies were found in separate rooms of the house on Old Sunset Trail in Santa Fe, the office announced in a news release.