Police Acknowledge Crime Scene Error in Gene Hackman Death Investigation

Authorities in Santa Fe, New Mexico, recently admitted to an error in identifying the dog that perished alongside actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.

Initial reports stated that a German shepherd had been found dead.

However, “The couple’s German shepherd, named Bear, survived along with a second dog named Nikita, but their kelpie mix, Zinna, died, according to Joey Padilla, owner of the Santa Fe Tails pet care facility that is involved in the surviving dogs’ care,” per the Associated Press.

The late dog “was always attached to Betsy at the hip and it was a beautiful relationship,” Padilla shared in a statement last week.

“Zinna went from being a returned shelter dog to this incredible companion under Betsy’s hand.”

Zinna was found inside a crate in the bathroom closet, the same location where 65-year-old Arakawa was discovered.

According to the New York Post, the dog had recently undergone a procedure, which may explain why it had been placed in the crate.

USA Today reported that the 12-year-old canine had been trained in agility with hopes of competing in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

Padilla, who arrived at the scene on Feb. 26 to retrieve the animals, found Bear about 10 to 12 feet from Arakawa’s body, while Nikita was roaming the backyard.

As legal representatives examine the couple’s will, Padilla is temporarily caring for the surviving dogs.

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Denise Womack-Avila confirmed that deputies had misidentified which of the three dogs had died.

“Our deputies do not deal with canines on a daily basis,” she stated.

On Friday, the New Mexico Medical Examiner’s Office disclosed its official findings regarding the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa.

Dr. Heather Jarrell, New Mexico’s Chief Medical Investigator, revealed that Arakawa passed away around Feb. 11 due to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a flu-like illness transmitted from animals to humans, likely contracted through exposure to mouse droppings.

The 95-year-old Hackman’s cause of death was determined to be “severe heart disease,” with Alzheimer’s listed as a “significant contributory factor.”

Following Arakawa’s passing, Hackman survived for approximately a week. His autopsy revealed no food in his stomach, and his death is estimated to have occurred on Feb. 18, the last recorded day of activity on his pacemaker.