The sprawling $4 million Santa Fe mansion that once housed Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, has become the center of a chilling mystery.
The couple’s bodies were discovered in separate rooms, both showing advanced signs of decomposition, an eerie detail that has prompted investigators to treat their deaths as “suspicious.”
A Chilling Discovery: Separate Rooms, Scattered Pills, and No Note
Hackman, 95, was found in the mudroom, while Arakawa, 63, lay lifeless in the bedroom with bloating on her face.
Disturbingly, pills were scattered across the bathroom floor and near her body, yet no suicide note was found. It took authorities nearly 12 hours to formally confirm their identities due to the state of their remains, with mummification visible on their hands and feet.
“We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail,” authorities said in a statement.
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A very sad day for the cinema’s family. Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have passed away.
The Eerie Fate of Gene Hackman’s Pets and a Possible Gas Leak
Adding another unsettling layer to the case, one of the couple’s three dogs, a German Shepherd, was found dead inside a closet, but the other two dogs, inexplicably, survived.
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The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department has been cautious in its statements, suggesting that foul play isn’t immediately suspected, though they have not ruled out any possibilities. Hackman’s daughter, Elizabeth Jean, has speculated that carbon monoxide poisoning may have been the silent killer, though authorities have noted there were no “obvious signs of a gas leak.”
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Gene Hackman’s Chilling Video on Death
After his passing, an eerie video resurfaced in which Hackman candidly reflected on mortality.
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“I try to take care of myself. I don’t have a lot of fears. I have the normal fear of passing away,” he said. “You know, I guess we all think about that, especially when you get to be a certain age. I want to make sure that my wife and my family are taken care of. Other than that, I don’t have a lot of fears.”
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s Last Appearance
Before their deaths, the reclusive couple had made one of their rare public appearances. Less than a year earlier, Hackman had been seen holding onto Arakawa’s arm while using a cane for support.
The pair were photographed dining in Santa Fe, marking one of the last times they were seen alive.
The last known photo of Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife. Both were found deceased in their home pic.twitter.com/vmzDkI4KIQ
Hackman, a two-time Academy Award winner, built a legendary career with roles in ‘The French Connection,’ ‘Unforgiven,’ and ‘Superman.’Despite his fame, he maintained a private life, once stating that he preferred to keep his personal affairs quiet so that his art could be free.
