Authorities Release Disturbing Update About How Bodies of Gene Hackman and Wife Were Found

Actor Gene Hackman and his wife were believed to have been deceased for quite some time before their bodies were discovered Wednesday at their residence in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The remains of Hackman, age 95, and Betsy Arakawa, age 65, were located by a maintenance worker, who also found a dog inside the home.

According to an affidavit from law enforcement, Arakawa’s remains were in a more advanced state of decomposition than her husband’s, as reported by People.

Arakawa “showed obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mummification in both hands and feet,” the affidavit detailed.

The document also noted that Hackman’s body displayed similar post-mortem characteristics.

Mummification occurs after death when tissue hardens due to significant loss of moisture. This process tends to happen naturally in arid, high-temperature settings.

Authorities told NBC that both individuals had likely been deceased for “quite a while.”

The search warrant stated that the circumstances of their deaths were “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.”

Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza described medication found near Arakawa as “very important evidence at the scene.” He also said investigators are “looking at that specifically and other medications that were possibly in the residence. That is something of concern.”

“I think I’m pretty confident there is no foul play just based on the lack of evidence of foul play, but we of course are not ruling that out,” Mendoza stated.

The pills were discovered scattered across a bathroom counter near Arakawa’s body, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The LA Times also reported that both bodies appeared to have collapsed suddenly, with each showing partial decomposition.

Investigators stated that neither body exhibited signs of physical trauma, nor was there any immediate indication of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Hackman’s remains were found close to the kitchen, while police believe a space heater located on the bathroom floor near Arakawa may have been knocked over when she collapsed.

Sheriff Mendoza acknowledged that the exact timeline of the deaths remains uncertain.

The property’s maintenance staff last communicated with the couple approximately two weeks before the discovery, though it was common for workers to perform tasks without directly speaking to Hackman or Arakawa.