
Scattered pills found near body of Gene Hackman’s wife; no signs of gas leak
By Kennedy Felton (Lifestyle Correspondent/Producer), Bast Bramhall (Video Editor)
- Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their New Mexico home, with initial suspicions of a carbon monoxide leak ruled out. Hackman was found in a mudroom and Arakawa in a bathroom, both showing signs of decomposition.
- An open prescription bottle and scattered pills were found near Arakawa’s body, and one of their dogs was also found dead.
- The investigation is ongoing, with no evidence of carbon monoxide poisoning or obvious signs of trauma.
Full Story
Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, may have been dead for some time before their bodies were discovered Wednesday, Feb. 26. Police initially suspected a carbon monoxide leak, but new details from the investigation suggest otherwise.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Summary
- A vivamus tempus interdum consectetur eget ex scelerisque nec natoque mauris aenean, egestas porttitor ultrices consequat nibh ipsum accumsan convallis massa ut.
- Proin nullam dapibus ante eget posuere elit laoreet maecenas montes consequat massa bibendum suspendisse urna vulputate suscipit, senectus eros ornare quisque ullamcorper lacus adipiscing nibh magna ut curae tristique vestibulum torquent orci.
- Condimentum tincidunt venenatis phasellus consequat nulla vehicula pretium vivamus aliquet, curabitur mauris proin lectus orci viverra vulputate luctus, at fermentum id dignissim quis curae magnis tristique.
- Convallis fames lacinia maecenas efficitur at ipsum enim id rutrum vehicula maximus tincidunt, curae hendrerit euismod taciti eu diam natoque integer tempor congue habitant.
- Nullam ante proin praesent taciti sagittis tellus ullamcorper diam venenatis aptent eget dignissim, sociosqu tempus cubilia varius id amet suspendisse efficitur natoque ipsum tempor.
- Bibendum libero laoreet turpis faucibus natoque ligula viverra vehicula nisl felis himenaeos erat pulvinar, ante donec netus eros varius arcu mollis risus consequat molestie habitant.
Bias Comparison
Bias Distribution
Left
Untracked Bias
A search warrant affidavit revealed police found Hackman deceased in a mudroom. Investigators found Arakawa’s body on the floor of a bathroom.
Prescription pills found near Arakawa
Police say they found an open prescription bottle and scattered pills on the counter near Arakawa’s body. Authorities noted signs of decomposition.
In a nearby bathroom closet, one of the couple’s dogs was found dead. However, two other dogs were still alive on the property.
Hackman’s body also showed signs of decomposition. The affidavit states he was found with his cane. They said this suggests he may have suddenly fallen.
911 call reveals caretaker’s distress
TMZ obtained the emotional 911 call made by a caretaker who discovered the couple’s bodies.
“Are they moving at all?” the dispatcher asked.
“No, they are not moving! Please, just send somebody up here really quick!” the caretaker responded.
No evidence of carbon monoxide poisoning
The fire department did not detect any signs of a carbon monoxide leak. The New Mexico Gas Company conducted additional tests inside and around the home. Officials said they are assisting the sheriff’s office as the investigation continues.
Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Sign up for the newsletter today!
Learn more about our emails. Unsubscribe anytime.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
Investigation still ongoing
According to The New York Times, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office is working to determine the cause of death. There were no obvious signs of trauma, and no note was found.
Authorities are still searching the couple’s home. Police are expected to release more details once autopsies are completed.
[KENNEDY FELTON]
POLICE NOW SUSPECT THAT OSCAR WINNING ACTOR GENE HACKMAN AND HIS WIFE – BETSY ARAKAWA – HAD BEEN DECEASED FOR SOME TIME BEFORE THEIR BODIES WERE DISCOVERED WEDNESDAY.
IT WAS INITIALLY SUSPECTED THAT A CARBON MONOXIDE LEAK OCCURRED – ESPECIALLY SINCE ONE OF THEIR DOGS WAS ALSO FOUND DEAD. HOWEVER – DETAILS FROM A SEARCH WARRANT AFFIDAVIT NOW REVEAL A DIFFERENT SCENE. 95 YEAR OLD HACKMAN WAS FOUND DECEASED IN A MUDROOM… WHILE ARAKAWA WAS DISCOVERED ON THE FLOOR OF A BATHROOM.
AN OPEN PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE AND SCATTERED PILLS WERE FOUND ON THE COUNTER NEAR HIS 63 YEAR OLD WIFE’S BODY… WHICH SHOWED SIGNS OF DECOMPOSITION. NEARBY IN A BATHROOM CLOSET… THEIR DECEASED DOG WAS ALSO FOUND. TWO OTHER DOGS WERE ALIVE ON THEIR PROPERTY.
HACKMAN’S BODY WAS ALSO IN A SIMILAR STATE OF DECOMPOSITION. THE AFFIDAVIT STATES THAT HE WAS FOUND WITH HIS CANE… SUGGESTING HE MAY HAVE SUDDENLY FALLEN. INVESTIGATORS NOTES TWO REDACTED NAMES IN THE AFFIDAVIT… INDIVIDUALS WHO LAST HAD CONTACT WITH THE COUPLE ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE THEIR BODIES WERE FOUND.
T-M-Z OBTAINED THE EMOTIONAL 9-1-1 CALL FROM A CARETAKER WHO DISCOVERED THE BODIES… FRANTICALLY REQUESTING HELP.
“ARE THEY MOVING AT ALL?” “NO THEY ARE NOT MOVING PLEASE JUST SEND SOMEBODY UP HERE REALLY QUICK.”
FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ALSO FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF A CARBON MONOXIDE LEAK OR POISONING. THE NEW MEXICO GAS COMPANY CONDUCTED TESTS INSIDE AND AROUND THE RESIDENCE… AND WILL CONTINUE ASSISTING THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE AS THE INVESTIGATION UNFOLDS.
ACCORDING TO THE NEW YORK TIMES – THE SANTA FE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE IS STILL WORKING TO DETERMINE THE COUPLE’S CAUSE OF DEATH. THERE WERE NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF TRAUMA… AND NO NOTE WAS FOUND. THEIR HOME REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.. AND MORE DETAILS ARE EXPECTED ONCE AUTOPSIES ARE COMPLETED.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn moreBias Summary
- Magna venenatis habitasse ipsum dictum laoreet vitae placerat aliquet facilisis enim faucibus, tristique leo dolor aliquam magnis montes fermentum massa hac nullam.
- Sociosqu rhoncus ut odio laoreet mus vivamus bibendum libero elit aliquam hac felis aptent et lectus volutpat, maecenas convallis quis amet blandit suscipit proin magnis primis nullam ridiculus malesuada eget nec at.
- Litora est scelerisque posuere aliquam cubilia consectetur eros venenatis duis, ultricies enim sociosqu luctus at sed lectus adipiscing, non nostra cursus maximus diam ridiculus nam malesuada.
- Massa porta urna libero tincidunt non montes risus cursus lorem consectetur pharetra est, ridiculus fringilla sagittis sollicitudin vehicula pulvinar facilisis conubia netus class lacus.
- Rhoncus odio sociosqu sit sollicitudin suspendisse imperdiet blandit pulvinar scelerisque iaculis laoreet maximus, ex habitasse cras platea cursus eu aptent tincidunt facilisis montes netus.
- Felis sodales bibendum pretium viverra facilisis egestas sed consectetur molestie aenean ligula pellentesque integer, odio sapien habitant convallis platea parturient a tellus aliquam finibus lacus.
Bias Comparison
Bias Distribution
Left
Untracked Bias
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.