A tragic twist, acting legend Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on February 26, 2025. Hackman was 95 years old, and Arakawa was 64 years old. They were found with one of the three dogs they had. The authorities stated that no criminal activity is suspected but are looking into the conditions surrounding their deaths.
They were found by the residents of the home who were hired to work on it. They were inside and found the front door open. When they entered the house, they found Hackman’s body in the mudroom and Arakawa’s body in a bathroom surrounded by prescription medication with an open bottle sitting on the counter.
One of their two dogs was found dead in a bathroom closet, while two of them were found alive on the property. Both corpses had indications of decay, that they were dead for some time. Initial inspections conducted by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department found no sign of forced entry or visible trauma on the bodies.
The fire department conducted tests and found no indications of gas or carbon monoxide leaks within the house. Although there were no initial indications of foul play, the pill dispersal and body positions have caused the authorities to look into the deaths as “suspicious enough in nature to warrant a search and investigation.”
Gene Hackman was a classic star in Hollywood for over four decades. winner of two Academy Awards for Best Actor for “The French Connection” (1971) and Best He uprooted to Santa Fe in 2004, living a quieter, lower-profile life outside Hollywood’s press focus while getting on with the business of painting and writing.
Hackman married in 1991 to classically trained Hawaii-born pianist Betsy Arakawa. The couple led a somewhat secluded life, making only rare public appearances. They were last seen together dining in Albuquerque in March 2004. By all reports, Arakawa was a great support to Hackman in his retirement years. Their loss has unleashed an unprecedented wave of tributes and condolences from the entertainment world.
Clint Eastwood, with whom Hackman worked on “Unforgiven,” stated, “There was no better actor than Gene. Sensitive and brutal. Never off a note. A great friend and I will miss him a lot.” Francis Ford Coppola, who directed Hackman in “The Conversation,” stated, “Gene Hackman was a good actor, great in his professionalism and in his depth of nuance, and inspiring.
Sorry, he’s gone and celebrates his life and his work.” As the investigation is ongoing, officials wait for autopsy reports in order to ascertain specific causes of death. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department is collaborating with surrounding departments, such as the New Mexico Gas Company, to present a comprehensive view of events. Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s passing signals the closing of an era of Hollywood history infested with movie magic and a big influence on the community of arts.
