Oscar-winner Gene Hackman, his wife, and their dog were found dead in separate rooms of their Santa Fe home, with investigators stating they had been deceased for some time.
Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office Detectives noted in their search warrant that Hackman was 95 years old and found in the mudroom, while his wife Betsy Arakawa was 63. Both were found next to an electric space heater in a bathroom. The maintenance worker, who called police to report the incident, told them that “he last had contact with homeowners” two weeks earlier.
Denise Avila said that there were no signs of Hackman’s or Arakawa’s having been injured. In the affidavit, it was noted that there were pills and an unopened prescription bottle scattered around Arakawa’s desk.
According to the detective, the facts surrounding this case were “suspicious in nature” and required a full search and investigation. He also said he observed signs that both Hackman and Arakawa may have fallen abruptly before their death, based on the position of Hackman’s glasses and the space heater near Arakawa’s head.
According to the warrant, the New Mexico Gas Co. checked the gas lines around and inside the house after the bodies had been discovered. The warrant states that the New Mexico Gas Co. did not find any problems at the time, and neither did the Fire Department. The sheriff detective noted there was no sign of gas or poisoning.
Chris Ramirez is the spokesperson for the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, which oversees the medical examiners in the state. He declined to say if any conclusions have been made about the causes and circumstances of the deaths of Hackman or Arakawa.
Hackman, a gruff but beloved, was one of the most talented actors of his time. He appeared as heroes, villains, and antiheroes across dozens of comedies, dramas, and action movies from the ’60s to his retirement at the beginning of the 2000s.
He routinely showed up on Hollywood lists of greatest American actors of the 20th century. He could play virtually any kind of role, from comic book villain Lex Luthor in “Superman” to a coach finding redemption in the sentimental favorite “Hoosiers.”
Hackman won two Oscars in the following decades: “Unforgiven”, which he received for his role in “The French Connection”, and then “The French Connection II” (which starred Hackman). He died just four days before this year’s awards ceremony.
Hollywood has been quick to pay tribute.
Francis Ford Coppola posted on Instagram: “The loss of a great artifact is always a cause of both sorrow and joy. Gene Hackman was a magnificent actor, inspirational and complex in his work.”
Hackman, who was a trained classical pianist from Hawaii, met Arakawa when she worked part-time in a California gymnasium in the mid-1980s. The New York Times wrote about this in 1989. The couple moved into a house together and, by the end the decade, had relocated to Santa Fe.
The ranch is built in the Southwestern style and sits in an exclusive gated community. It offers views of the Rocky Mountains.
According to Santa Fe County tax records, the 2,300-square-foot house on an acre (0.40 hectares) was constructed in 2000. Its estimated market value is a bit over $1 million. The modest home is a stark contrast to the expansive estate that sits next door. It was appraised at $ 7.9 million.
Hackman also co-wrote three novels, starting with the swashbuckler “Wake of the Perdido Star” with Daniel Lenihan in 1999, according to publisher Simon & Schuster. He then penned two by himself, concluding with “Pursuit” in 2013, about a female police officer on the tail of a predator.
Hackman spent his early years in New Mexico mainly around its historic capital city, known for being a tourist destination, a celebrity retreat, and an artist’s enclave.
According to The New Mexican, he served on the board of The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum during the 1990s.
He was much less noticeable in recent years. Even the most banal outings attracted the media’s attention. The Independent reported that he attended a performance at the Lensic Performing Arts Center in 2018. The New York Post wrote about him in 2023 pumping gasoline, doing yard work, and buying a Wendy’s chicken sandwich.
He retired about 20 years back from acting and was only seen occasionally at award shows. It was one of the few Hollywood retirements that lasted.
Hackman has three children by a prior marriage. Arakawa and Hackman had no children, but they were well-known for their German Shepherds.
Hackman said to the movie magazine Empire in 2020 that he and Arakawa liked watching DVDs she had rented.
He said, “We enjoy the simple stories produced by some low-budget movies.”