Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa May Have Died ‘A Couple of Weeks’ Before Discovery

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Sheriff’s office in Santa Fe County has provided an update on the unexpected passing of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa. Their findings suggest that the couple might have passed away before their bodies were discovered.

What is the latest update on Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s deaths?

According to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, speaking with NBC’s Today (as reported by The Hollywood Reporter), investigators are still working to understand the details, but preliminary evidence suggests that Hackman and Arakawa may have been deceased for several days, or perhaps even up to two weeks, before their bodies were discovered on Wednesday.

Mendoza mentioned that we’re struggling to establish a clear sequence of events, as we aim to find out when the deceased were last spotted and contacted. The issue here is that they were quite private individuals, making it tough to piece together a timeline, even with assistance from the Office of the Medical Investigator. From what we can gather based on their physical state and other evidence found on them, it seems they might have been missing for several days, potentially even up to two weeks.

Yesterday’s news update resonates deeply with me, given the intriguing revelations made by Detective Roy Arndt. He stated before a judge that the peculiar circumstances surrounding the sudden demise of the couple are indeed “suspicious enough” to warrant an extensive probe and search for answers.

In particular, Arndt observed the situation when the police arrived at the incident location. Arakawa was found lying on the bathroom floor. An open prescription pill bottle stood on the countertop, with pills strewn around nearby. Hackman was supposedly discovered in the couple’s mud room, near the kitchen, with his sunglasses beside him.

As per the detective’s analysis, it seems like both individuals ended up on the ground. Inside the bathroom closet near Arakawa’s body, a deceased dog was discovered, while two apparently healthy dogs remained on the property. The couple’s house front door was left unlocked, but there was no indication of forced entry.

Initially, it seemed as if a gas leak could have been the reason for the fatal incident. However, upon investigation by the fire department and gas company, no signs of a gas leak were evident on the property. Arndt stated that there were “no clear indications” of a gas leak.

Additionally, Arndt pointed out that there was uncertainty surrounding the exact time of both Hackman and Arakawa’s demise. The investigator mentioned a space heater discovered near Arakawa’s head, which under certain circumstances might have toppled if the woman suddenly collapsed to the floor, as suggested by him.

According to the affidavit, Arndt believes that the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the two people are suspicious enough to warrant a comprehensive search and examination. After obtaining approval from the Santa Fe County Magistrate Court on Wednesday evening, a search warrant has been issued, so further details may emerge during the ongoing investigation.

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2025-02-28 23:40