Authorities in Santa Fe, New Mexico are saying that they’ve found no signs of foul play, gunshots or other wounds as they investigate the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa. They also say the New Mexico Gas Company is also helping them with their investigation.
In the meantime, the deaths have been ruled as “suspicious” according to a search warrant affidavit by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department obtained by KTLA 5.
“Affiant believes that the circumstances surrounding the death of the two deceased individuals to be suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation,” the document says.
A neighbor had called authorities to request a welfare check on the couple.
Police arrived at the Hyde Park-area home on Wednesday afternoon at around 1:43 p.m.
The search warrant says when deputies arrived at the home, the front door of the house was “unsecured and opened” with no signs of forced entry.
“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 document explained.
A deputy found Arakawa lying on the bathroom floor near the countertop with a heater near her head. He suspected that she may have abruptly fallen and caused the heater to fall as well. An opened orange prescription pill bottle was found on the counter with scattered pills nearby.
The arriving officer said Arakawa showed “obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mummification in both hands and feet.”
Hackman’s body was found near the kitchen, in what deputies described as the “mud room,” and suspected the actor had “suddenly fallen.” He also “showed obvious signs of death, similar and
consistent” with Arakawa’s.
The deputies along with the Santa Fe City Fire Department conducted tests to see if carbon monoxide poisoning was to blame. However, firefighters did not locate any signs of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning.
The New Mexico Gas Company was tested the gas line in and around the home and, for now, found “no signs or evidence indicating there were any problems associated to the pipes in and around the residence.”
“Affiant is aware through training and experience that individual exposed to poisonous gas might not show apparent injuries,” the document further explained. “The search for and collection of items listed above to include biological material, trace evidence, or latent fingerprints at the residence can assist with the determination and cause of death.”
Hackman, born in San Bernardino, grew up in Illinois and served in the U.S. Marines.
It wasn’t until he was in his 30s that he moved to Southern California to pursue his acting career. After studying theater at the Pasadena Playhouse he moved to film where his movie career lasted over 40 years.
He starred in classics like “Hoosiers,” “The French Connection,” “Mississippi Burning,” “Unforgiven,” “Superman,” “Bonnie and Clyde,” and more.
The five-time Oscar nominee won the prestigious award twice for his roles in “The French Connection” and “Unforgiven.”
He was 95 years old at the time of his death and one of the greatest actors of his generation.
