A full list of items which could potentially be seized from Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s Santa Fe home has been revealed in an affidavit.
Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, were found dead in two separate rooms in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on Wednesday (February 26) this week.
Details from the search warrant into their deaths claim investigators are treating the deaths as ‘suspicious enough’ to investigate further.
While the sheriff’s office said it did not suspect foul play, having found no signs of ‘external trauma’ on their bodies, they haven’t yet completely ruled it out.
Among the apparent suspicious setting, a statement of facts from the scene reveals just one of the couple’s three dogs was found dead on the premises, with the other two reportedly ‘healthy’.
Actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa pose for a portrait in 1986 in Los Angeles, California (Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
And while Hackman’s daughter, Elizabeth Jean, spoke out and reckoned the couple could’ve died from carbon monoxide poisoning, initial tests have shown ‘no signs’ of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning.
Since, the search warrant affidavit for their property has been published by the New York Times, which lists in full everything detectives could seize as their investigation continues.
Weapons, tools and evidence
- Any weapons, tools or instruments capable of causing sharp force or blunt force trauma to the human body, as well as any documents that establish or tend to establish ownership, possession, use, transfer and/or the right to ownership, possession, use and/or transfer of the herein-described items
- Any items and/or materials that have what appear to be impression(s), mark(s), and/or defects
- Biological fluids, to include DNA, blood, or trace evidence
- Latent and/or visible prints, including but not limited to fingerprints and footwear impressions
Hazardous materials and controlled substances
- Ignitable, flammable, explosive and/or combustible substances, whether solid, liquid and/or gas and/or any containers, that may contain said substances or have said substances on them
- Narcotics and/or any other controlled substances including but not limited to any drug or substance listed in Schedules I through V of the Controlled Substance Act or regulations adopted thereto
Personal identifying informations and documents
Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe home on Wednesday (Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage)
- Clothing belonging to or worn by Hackman or Arakawa
- Any record documented in any media, which appears to be a password, personal identification number and information used to access and/or facilitate access of said items, to be searched
- Any documents which have what appears to be the personal identifying information of Hackman or Arakawa on it and/or any version of their name and/or personal identifying information
Investigative and documentation equipment
- Documentation of the premises, person(s) and described items to be seized, by means of measurement, photography, videography and/or any other means deemed necessary by law enforcement and/or person(s) assisting law enforcement
- Camera(s), video camera(s), film, whether exposed and/or unexposed, photographic negative(s), photograph(s), photographic print(s), DVR(s) and/or any other image(s) documented on any media, photography and/or videography equipment, photography and/or videography accessories and/or devises apparently used to facilitate photography and/or videography
- Photographs of the residence, including the interior and exterior
- Telephones and/or cellular telephones
- Materials apparently used and/or intended for use in administering aid and/or assistance to injured people
The warrant noted that investigators may be required to examine the entire, above-mentioned premises, including, but not limited to, the examination of furniture, walls, plumbing equipment, or gas lines in or around the residence.
Gene Hackman’s family have said they are ‘devastated by the loss’ as authorities investigate the death of the Hollywood legend.
Hollywood veteran actor 95-year-old Gene Hackman and his classical pianist wife, 63-year-old Betsy Arakawa, were found dead at their home on Wednesday (February 26).
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza did not give information regarding the pair’s cause of death but also noted that one of the couple’s dogs was found deceased as well.
In a statement on Thursday he said: “All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant.”
Hackman’s daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, and his granddaughter, Annie, have since released a statement following reports of the couple’s death.
Speaking to the New York Post, they said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy.
Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead at their home earlier this week (Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
“He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa.
“We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
This statement comes after an update on the situation by the authorities.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said they did not suspect foul play, but haven’t ruled it out, and found no immediate signs of ‘external trauma’ to the pair.
Police have said they will conduct a ‘thorough search and investigation’ as the couple’s deaths are ‘suspicious enough’ to warrant this from the ‘circumstances surrounding’ the scene, according to an affidavit for a search warrant.
The document reveals a maintenance worker initially came across the scene and they found the front door of the Sante Fe home unlocked.
At the scene, cops then found Betsy’s body on the bathroom floor next to a space heater which they note ‘could have fallen in the event [she] abruptly fell to the ground’.
Police are investigating the cause and details of Gene Hackman and his wife’s death (Vera Anderson/WireImage)
There was also an open prescription bottle with pills scattered on the counter-top.
The affidavit also noted that Arakawa appeared decomposed with ‘mummification’ in her hands and feet.
Hackman was found in a similar position in a different room, on the floor alongside a walking cane and sunglasses leading authorities to believe he had ‘suddenly fallen’.
As part of the investigation into the deaths, Santa Fe City Fire department have seemingly ruled out carbon monoxide leak or poisoning as they found no signs of this at the home.
The New Mexico Gas Company also found no signs of this after carrying out tests on the gas line and around the residence.
Hollywood veteran Gene Hackman’s daughter has shared her thoughts on the cause of death of her father and stepmom Betsy Arakawa, after the pair were found dead at home.
The bodies of the 95-year-old and his classical pianist partner were discovered at their home in the Santa Fe Summit community northeast of the city, in New Mexico, yesterday evening (26 February), with officials stating there is no indication of foul play.
Now, Elizabeth Jean Hackman has told TMZ that she is not sure how the pair died but believes it could be related to toxic fumes, suspecting the cause of death to be carbon monoxide poisoning.
The publication also reported how Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told the outlet that their corpses were discovered after officers visited their home to perform a welfare check, with a gas company and the fire department also attending, after a neighbor flagged concerns.
Actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa pose for a portrait in 1986 in Los Angeles, California (Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Sky News has reported that ‘a gas company has said it is assisting in the investigation into the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’.
Mendoza also confirmed the deaths of Hackman, the 63-year-old and their pet dog during a statement yesterday.
“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.
“I want to assure the community and neighbourhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone.”
Hackman grips an Oscar at the 1993 Academy Awards (Avalon/Getty Images)
Mendoza did not comment on how or when the couple died.
Hackman was known as a legend in Hollywood, most fondly remembered for his role as Lex Luthor in the Superman along with roles in Unforgiven and The French Connection.
Hackman announced in 2004 that he was retiring from acting, opting to leave Los Angeles and moved to New Mexico.
Betsy and Hackman pictured together in 1992 (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
He told the press: “I haven’t held a press conference to announce retirement, but yes, I’m not going to act any longer. I really don’t want to do it any longer.”
He concluded his acting career with over 100 acting roles, with his decision to retire linked to stress and health concerns.
Their tragic passing comes just under a year since Hackman and Betsy were last spotted in public on March 28, 2024, for a dinner date at Pappadeaux’s Seafood Kitchen in Santa Fe.
Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead in separate rooms and had been there ‘for some time’, according to a warrant.
News broke earlier today (February 27) that the acclaimed actor and his wife 63-year-old wife Betsy Arakawa had been found dead in their Sante Fe, New Mexico, home.
Hackman, best known for movies like The French Connection, Superman and Enemy State, was 95 and had long ago retired from the film industry.
As well as the celebrity couple, one of their three dogs was also found dead.
Hackman’s daughter Elizabeth has since spoken out and said that it’s believed her father, Arakawa, and their dog died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
As more information comes to light about their unexpected deaths, investigators have revealed that Hackman and Arakawa were found in separate rooms.
Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe home (Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage)
As per Associated Press, Hackman was found in a mudroom while his wife was in a bathroom next to a space heater.
In the bathroom there was an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on the counter top.
Such information was divulged in a Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office search warrant.
In addition to this, Denise Avila, a sheriff’s office spokesperson, confirmed that Arakawa and Hackman had no gunshot wounds or any other type of wounds.
In regards to how long they’d been there for, it’s thought they had been deceased for some time. According to Mail Online, the couple were partially-mummified.
The investigation into their deaths remains ongoing.
The late couple wed in 1991 (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Tributes across Hollywood have been rolling in for Hackman in the wake of his death.
Star Trek actor George Takei said of the late 95-year-old: “Gene Hackman could play anyone, and you could feel a whole life behind it. He could be everyone and no one, a towering presence or an everyday Joe. That’s how powerful an actor he was.”
American filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola added: “The loss of a great artist, always cause for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity. I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution.”
Elsewhere, Spanish actor Antonio Banderas wrote on Instagram: “A very sad day for… cinema’s family. Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have passed away.
“My deepest condolences to friends, family and cinema lovers. RIP.”
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email info@grievewell.com.
Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman made a candid and heartfelt confession about death more than two decades before he and his wife were found unresponsive at their New Mexico home.
Gene, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, were both found dead along with their dog at their Santa Fe home on Wednesday (February 26).
No cause of death has yet been confirmed for the couple, though a statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff has confirmed that there does not appear to be any foul play involved.
“This is an active investigation,” the sheriff’s office added.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa married in 1991 (Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Tributes for Gene and Betsy have been pouring in in the wake of the news, and now, an interview Gene conducted in 2004 has resurfaced due to the actor’s comments about the end of life.
Gene shared his thoughts on death in an interview with Larry King, when the interviewer asked the Unforgiven star what he ‘fears’.
“Do you worry about your health?,” King asked.
Gene then responded: “I try to take care of myself. I don’t have a lot of fears.”
See a clip from the interview below:
However, he then went on to open up about death, saying: “I have the normal fear of passing away, I guess we all think about that, especially [as] you get to be a certain age.”
Gene made a candid reference to Betsy as he said he wanted his wife and family to be ‘taken care of’, adding: “Other than that I don’t have a lot of fears.”
The actor’s comments came just a few years before Gene told Reuters in 2008 that he was ‘not going to act any longer’.
Gene explained at the time he simply didn’t ‘want to do it any longer’.
Prior to his retirement, Gene firmly established himself as a Hollywood star thanks to his performances in titles like The Conversation, Superman and The French Connection, the latter of which earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor.
Gene Hackman won two Oscars for his work (Evening Standard/Getty Images)
The actor married Betsy in 1991, following a previous 30-year relationship with his first wife, Faye Maltese.
Sharing the news of Gene and Betsy’s death, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office said: “On 26 February, 2025, at approximately 1:45pm, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park where Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and a dog were found deceased.”
Gene has been remembered by fans as ‘one of the greatest actors of his, or anyone’s generation’.
One tribute reads: “He was a powerhouse, as adept at comedy as he was drama. Today is a very sad day, we’ve lost a legend. Gene was a giant of cinema. R.I.P Gene Hackman.”
