What We Know About the Deaths of Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy Arakawa – The Cut

Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commissionAuthorities in Santa Fe are investigating the death of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, the classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, after the couple and one of their dogs were discovered dead in their New Mexico home on Wednesday. Hackman, who during his 40-year career appeared in popular films like Superman, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Bonnie and Clyde, was 95; Arakawa was 65. Investigators say they were found in separate rooms and appeared to have been dead for some time.A search-warrant affidavit obtained by the New York Times says foul play is not currently suspected, though investigators now say the deaths are “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.” Here’s what we know.According to the search-warrant affidavit obtained by the Times, the sheriff’s deputies arrived at Hackman’s house on Wednesday after receiving an emergency call from a maintenance worker. The two workers who discovered the couple’s bodies reportedly found the front door to the house ajar, though authorities did not find signs of forced entry. A deputy found Arakawa dead and lying on her side on the floor of a bathroom, a space heater near her head and scattered pills and an open prescription bottle on the counter. Per the Times, the deputy who found Arakawa, whose body showed signs of decomposition, says the heater could have fallen with her in the event that she “abruptly fell to the ground.” Authorities reportedly discovered Hackman’s body in the mudroom, in a similar state of decomposition; a deputy on the scene said it appeared he had “suddenly fallen.”  The two maintenance workers told police they last interacted with the couple two weeks prior, and a spokesperson for the sheriff said there was no sign that the couple had been shot or had other types of wounds. The body of one of the couple’s German shepherds was found a few feet away from Arakawa, inside the bathroom closet. Two of the couple’s other dogs were reportedly found alive, healthy, and running around elsewhere on the property.The search-warrant affidavit noted that Arakawa had bloating in her face and “mummification in both hands and feet,” a detail that has attracted a lot of attention. Mummification occurs when the post mortem soft-tissue-breakdown process has stopped — either through artificial means or naturally, by freezing or dehydration in dry, hot conditions — and the dead tissue becomes hard and desiccated. According to forensic scientists, mummification can often be a sign of social isolation. It can start within a few days in certain conditions.The Santa Fe sheriff’s office has said foul play is not suspected in the deaths. During a Friday press conference, it also shared that both Hackman and Arakawa’s bodies tested negative for carbon-monoxide poisoning. The fire department didn’t find signs of a carbon-monoxide leak or clear signs of a gas leak in the home, either. The Santa Fe sheriff also revealed that Hackman’s pacemaker recorded its “final event” on February 17, suggesting a definitive death date. The order of his and Arakawa’s deaths remains unknown.In preliminary findings from its medical investigation, the sheriff’s office noted that both Hackman and Arakawa suffered “no external trauma.” In a phone interview, investigators told the Times no note had been found while searching the home. Investigators did recover thyroid medication, Tylenol, and diltiazem, a drug used to treat chest pain or high blood pressure, as well as medical records and a 2025 planner, according to a search-warrant return document released on Friday. It’s unclear if the recovered medications are the same pills authorities found scattered on the bathroom counter. The manner and cause of the deaths has not yet been determined. In a Today show appearance, the Santa Fe sheriff said it could take three months or longer to get clarifying toxicology results.The Associated Press reports that New Mexico Gas Co. is working with the Santa Fe County sheriff’s department in the investigation. According to the warrant, the utility tested gas lines around the house after the bodies were discovered and found no issues at the time, nor signs of a gas leak.In an emailed statement to the Cut, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office expressed condolences to the Hackman-Arakawa family and said it worked with the family to ensure the safety of the couple’s two living dogs. “As further information becomes available, we will update the media,” the statement added.By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us.Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission

Source: http://www.thecut.com/article/gene-hackman-wife-betsy-arakawa-found-dead-what-we-know.html