The bodies of Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa were only identified hours after they’d been found dead (Image: Getty Images)
There is a cloud of mystery surrounding the deaths of legend Gene Hackman and his wife, with them both being identified several hours after a welfare check was made at their mansion.
Hackman, 95, was found dead in his Santa Fe, New Mexico home alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, and their beloved pet dog. The police were called to an address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park at 1.45pm on Wednesday, according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, who publicly announced the tragic deaths just after midnight.
Despite the confirmation of the trio’s untimely passing, many crucial details remain unconfirmed by the authorities. Key information such as the cause or causes of death, as well as the exact times of death, are still shrouded in uncertainty.
The Sheriff’s Office has also disclosed that they are awaiting a search warrant as part of their ongoing investigation, hinting that there may be more to uncover as the probe continues.
This comes after it was revealed that the initial visit to the Hackman residence was in response to a concerned neighbour who requested a welfare check on Gene and Betsy, reports .
Gene and his wife were both dead in their mansion (Image: Getty)
Reports have emerged that Gene and his wife Betsy were discovered partially mummified in their sprawling mansion, with pills scattered across their bathroom. An arrest warrant has revealed gruesome details of the scene, stating that 64 year old Arakawa was found decomposed, with bloating on her face and signs of mummification on her hands and feet.
The same document, obtained by Mail Online, also noted that actor Hackman showed similar signs of decomposition.
The grim discovery was made by two maintenance workers, Roland Lowe Begay and Jesse Kesler, who arrived at the Santa Fe estate on Wednesday afternoon. The time was 1.46 pm Mountain Time.
Authorities did not publicly confirm the identities of the couple for nearly 12 hours. Newly released details about the scene may shed light on why the information was initially withheld.
Don’t miss… [UPDATE]
Gene Hackman was found dead in his home at the age of 95 (Image: 1996 Getty Images)
According to Begay and Kesler, neither of them had seen the pair in approximately two weeks. Evidence suggests they had been deceased for some time before being found.
Arakawa was found on the bathroom floor, near an open prescription bottle with pills scattered across the counter. The type of medication and its owner have not been disclosed by officials.
A space heater was found near her head, leading investigators to consider if it had fallen over. Hackman’s body was discovered in a mudroom near the kitchen, according to the search warrant.
The Oscar-winning Superman actor was fully dressed, with his sunglasses lying next to him – a detail suggesting he may have collapsed unexpectedly. Emergency services, including firefighters, were called to the property, but no gas leak was detected.
Further mystery surrounds the welfare call that led to the discovery. The Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office revealed during a statement to US news station KOB 4 that they had responded to a call from a neighbour requesting a welfare check on the actor and his wife.
However, the details of the call and why the neighbour felt the need to contact the police remain unknown.
In a perplexing case that has raised numerous questions about the welfare check, it has emerged that police responded to the scene at approximately 1.45pm on Wednesday, where they found the bodies of Gene and Betsy, but were unable to confirm their identities until 12.30am on Thursday. The delay in identification and lack of confirmed time of death have yet to be explained.
Santa Fe County Sheriff, Adan Mendoza, has acknowledged the enigmatic nature of Gene and Betsy’s demise, assuring that the investigation is far from concluded and that answers to the unresolved queries may soon surface.
Police are investigating the deaths (Image: Getty)
“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,” Mendoza stated.
Mendoza also mentioned that his team is actively pursuing a search warrant to delve deeper into the investigation. “All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant,” he said, while also reassuring the local community and neighbours that there is no immediate threat to their safety.
It is noted that Hackman had faced some health challenges in the years before his passing, which does not, however, explain the simultaneous deaths of his wife and their dog.
The celebrity underwent an angioplasty in 1990, a procedure designed to widen blocked or narrowed arteries. In a 2004 interview with CNN’s Larry King, he admitted to having “heart problems,” and expressed his fear of death, emphasising his desire for his wife and children to be well-provided for after his passing.
“I try to take care of myself. I don’t have a lot of fears. I have the normal fear of passing away. You know, I guess we all think about that, especially when you get to be a certain age. I want to make sure that my wife and my family are taken care of. Other than that, I don’t have a lot of fears,” he shared with King.