Gene Hackman’s estate in Santa Fe, New Mexico, has been revealed in aerial footage obtained by the Express as an investigation into his mysterious death continues. The sprawling Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park, where Hackman, 95 and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, were found deceased, has become a crime scene following the discovery of their bodies by staff who hadn’t seen the pair in approximately two weeks.
The legend, who is best known for his Oscar-winning roles in The French Connection and Unforgiven, was confirmed to have died at his New Mexico home by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office. “On February 26, 2025 at approximately 1:45 p.m., Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park where Gene Hackman, 95 and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64 and a dog were found deceased,” they said in a statement. “Foul play is not suspected as a factor in those deaths at this time however exact cause of death has not been determined. This is an active and ongoing investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.”
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The actor was found dead in his Sant Fe home (Image: Getty)
The star retired from acting more than two decades ago and lived a reclusive life away from the spotlight. He has previously spoken about his love for his Santa Fe property in a 1990 interview with Architectural Digest.
The house is now worth a reported $3.8 million after it underwent extensive renovations that transformed a 1950s block building into a home that blends pueblo, colonial New Mexico, and Spanish Baroque styles. He fondly recalled the property, stating, “It had a kind of magic in it,” and noted, “It’s totally different from my other houses. The Montecito house was very formal.”
Throughout his life, Hackman resided in several remarkable homes. In 1982, he discussed another property, a Montecito home set on 25 acres, with Architectural Digest.
“We spent a year and a half on it and it gives me a great deal of pleasure,” he remarked, adding, “Continuing pleasure, you might say, because we are always working on it.”
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Gene Hackman had previously spoken about his love for his Santa Fe property (Image: Getty)
Throughout his life, Hackman resided in several remarkable homes (Image: Express)
When it came to transforming his secluded estate, Gene turned to architects Harry Daple and Stephen Samuelson from Studio Arquitectura.
Admitting they had their work cut out for them, Stephen said: “The house was horrible. It was a 1950s block building that had sat empty and had deteriorated. But it was a great site, and the foundation had been well placed on the land.”
The home was opened up to create a lighter space with open spaces, French doors, and furnishings from around the world so it would feel like a “haven” for Gene and Betsy.
The Superman star was adamant the new design had an authentic look so Sante Fe furnishings were blended with items from New York, Los Angeles and even Germany. Gene bought his Santa Fe home in 1990 but in 2000 he built another property on the land, a 2,367-square-foot single family home consisting of two bedrooms and one-and-a-half bathrooms.
It is not known which of the properties Gene, Betsy, and their dog were found in.