Gene Hackman’s body was found decomposing with mummification due to Santa Fe’s dry climate on February 26 at his home in a gated community. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office has stated that it does not suspect foul play, and tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative.
Sheriff Adan Mendoza and officials from the state fire, health, and forensics departments will hold an afternoon news conference on Friday to provide updates on the case. It is believed that Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa may have died up to two weeks before they were discovered.
Hackman’s pacemaker was last active on February 17, nine days before maintenance workers alerted police. Authorities found open prescription bottles and scattered pills in the bathroom, while one of their dogs was also found dead in a crate near Arakawa’s body.
The couple lived in a stucco home with Pueblo-revival style architecture in Santa Fe, which is known for its celebrity residents. Hackman had retired from Hollywood to focus on painting and writing novels, serving as a trustee at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and investing in local businesses alongside his wife.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/gene-hackman-death-betsy-arakawa-investigation-c94b2cb4d5d7aec9a1a39a81b46dbdf9