Two-time Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found deceased in their Santa Fe home along with one of their three dogs on February 26, 2025. Hackman was a very versatile actor who appeared in 79 films in his four decade career. 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde was his breakout performance where he got his first of five Oscar nominations. One of his best-remembered roles was Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in 1971’s crime thriller The French Connection, where he portrayed a New York City cop. In 1992’s Unforgiven, he played a violent sheriff, opposite Clint Eastwood. Hackman was also an author and wrote or co-wrote five books.
On a Wednesday in February, deputies were called to Hackman’s residents on a welfare check made by two maintenance workers. After Sante Fe officers analyzed the scene, they considered it “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.” The officers found the bodies in two separate rooms, and they had appeared to be there for a while. Hackman, 95, was found in a mudroom, and his wife, 65, was found in a bathroom near a space heater with pills scattered around. There were two dogs found healthy, and one found dead near Arakawa’s body.
There were no signs of forced entry on the home, and a gas leak was ruled out by the gas company and fire department. The cause of death is not yet confirmed, but it is no longer suspected to be foul play. Arakawa is believed to have died from the Hantavirus, a very rare disease transmitted through rodent feces, urine, or saliva. The pills were determined to be thyroid medication that was being taken as prescribed and did not appear to have any contribution to her death. Arakawa is believed to have died a week before Hackman, and it is possible that because of Hackman’s Alzheimer’s, he didn’t notice she was dead. It is suspected that his Alzheimer’s also caused him to not be able to take care of himself; he was found with no food in his stomach and signs of dehydration. Their kelpie mix named Zinna likely died of dehydration and starvation. She was found in her crate with no access to food or water, while the other two dogs had access to a doggie door.
The couple left their fortune to each other, but since they are both deceased, Hackman’s children are now trying to understand why they were not included in the will. Hackman was highly respected in the film industry and will be remembered as a legend for years to come.
