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Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were both found dead with their dog at their New Mexico home on February 26, 2025. The late movie star and the pianist had been married since 1991. Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 63, were discovered under mysterious circumstances, which initially left many concerned, especially with reports about the “mummification” of Arakawa. As authorities investigated, they did not immediately confirm the cause of death or provide further details. However, in a March 7 press conference, authorities officially identified the cause of death for the couple.
Below, we’re breaking down what we know so far about Hackman and his wife’s deaths.
Gene Hackman’s Movies & TV Shows
Hackman was known for a variety of film and television roles, but among his most popular were The French Connection, Unforgiven, Bonnie & Clyde, I Never Sang for My Father, Superman, Superman II and Mississippi Burning.
Among Hackman’s other popular roles were in The Poseidon Adventure, The Conversation, Loose Cannons, The Quick and the Dead, The Birdcage, Enemy of the State, Behind Enemy Lines, Runaway Jury and Welcome to Mooseport.
After wrapping Welcome to Mooseport, Hackman retired from acting and ventured into writing. The Academy Award winner published several books, including Wake of the Perdido Star, Justice for None, Escape From Andersonville and Pursuit.
What Happened to Gene Hackman & His Wife Betsy?
While police initially said they didn’t suspect foul play, TMZ obtained a search warrant, which revealed that a Sante Fe detective called Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths “suspicious.”
Sante Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza released a statement at the time of discovering the couple to the Santa Fe New Mexican, via The Guardian, which read, “We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday.”
The Guardian reported that deputies arrived at Hackman’s home in the Santa Fe Summit gated community known as Old Sunset Trail. However, it’s unclear if cops came to the house to investigate a death report or if they were performing a welfare check.
In Mendoza’s initial report, police discovered an elderly man and his wife in her 60s dead. He told the public in a statement, “I want to assure the community and neighborhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone. We do not believe foul play was a factor in their deaths; however, exact cause of death has not been determined at this time.”
The sheriff added, “All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant.”
However, according to a search warrant obtained by TMZ, a local detective wrote in his affidavit that the “death of the two deceased individuals to be 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, deputies observed a healthy dog running loose on the property, another healthy dog near the deceased female, a deceased dog laying 10-15 feet from the deceased female in a closet of the bathroom, the heater being moved, the pill bottle being opened and pills scattered next to the female, the male decedent being located in a separate room of the residence, and no obvious signs of a gas leak.”
The outlet further reported that the deputy noticed an opened prescription pill bottle on the countertop near Arakawa, and her body was in a statement of decomposition with facial “bloating” and “mummification in her hands and feet.” Hackman was discovered dead in another room fully clothed, and cops suspected he had fallen because his sunglasses were found next to him.
Gene Hackman’s Cause of Death
After news of Hackman’s death first broke, social media users speculated that carbon monoxide poisoning might have been the cause, especially given reports that there was no foul play and that Hackman, his wife Arakawa, and their dog were found dead. However, according to a search warrant obtained by TMZ, a detective noted that there were “no obvious signs of a gas leak” in Hackman’s home.
Now, over a week after their deaths, the causes of death for Hackman and Arakawa were revealed, according to E! News. The outlet reported that surveillance footage of Arakawa is believed to have died on February 11, 2025, and her cause of death was hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is a severe respiratory illness transmitted through rodent urine, droppings and saliva.
Hackman’s pacemaker last showed activity on February 18, according to the medical investigator, suggesting he “probably died around February 18.” The investigator also noted that Hackman was in “a very poor state of health” at the time of his death and believes his heart disease likely contributed to his passing. His cause of death was determined to be hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)—or hardening of the arteries—with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor.
