Gene Hackman Cops Admit Shameful Crime Scene Blunder — As So-Called 'Companion Suicide' is Floated as Cause of Actor and Wife's Shocking Joint Deaths
Cops made a big mistake at Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa's crime scene.
March 5 2025, Published 3:30 p.m. ET
The investigation behind Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa's deaths has a new update, as cops have admitted they made an embarrassing mistake while at the crime scene.
Police have now said they misidentified the dog that was found deceased along with the longtime couple inside of their Santa Fe mansion, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were both found 'mummified' and in separate rooms.
Previously, investigators said Hackman and Arakawa's German Shepherd named Bear was found dead in its kennel inside the home. However, the pup was actually alive and well at a pet daycare center along with their other dog Nikita.
According to Sherry Gaber, a friend of the couple, the dog found dead with the Hollywood legend and his wife was Zinna, their 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mixed breed.
The couple died alongside one of their three dogs, who was previously misidentified as the wrong pet.
Nikita and Bear are now at Santa Fe Tails, a local pet daycare, according to Joey Padilla, the owner of the facility.
As for the dog mixup, Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office Public Information officer Denise Womack-Avila responded: "Our deputies do not deal with canines on a daily basis and I cannot currently speak to the condition or state of the dog’s body upon discovery."
Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 63, were found dead – and "mummified" – in separate rooms on Wednesday, February 26, inside of their mansion.
Arakawa was found decomposed with bloating on her face and mummification in her hands and feet, while Hackman also exhibited the same signs of decomposition.
It took authorities on the scene 12 hours to identify Hackman and Arakawa due to their condition.
The sheriff said toxicology tests could take months but revealed the initial examination by the medical examiner, Dr. Michael Baden, showed no sign of carbon monoxide was found despite previous claims.
While a cause of death have yet to be determined, many have offered up wild theories including "companion suicide."
While a cause of death isn't official yet, some have theorized it may have been a 'companion suicide.'
However, James Gill, the Chief Medical Examiner for the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, shot down the pair may have decided to die together, explaining couples who choose dual suicide "usually.... together in bed."
"The fact that they’re in two separate locations tells me that I think that’s less likely," he theorized.
Gill then said, based off the initial information, Hackman may have "collapsed."
He continued: "He's got a history of heart disease. He's got a pacemaker. So that would not be unusual."
According to Hackman's daughter Leslie however, her movie star father was in "good health."
She recently revealed: "Despite his age, he was in very good physical condition. He liked to do Pilates and yoga, and he was continuing to do that several times a week. So he was in good health.”
The Bonnie and Clyde actor's close family friends, however, claimed Hackman was “essentially kind of home-bound," and his health "was really slipping there.”
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
It could take months to discover the reason behind Hackman and Arakawa's deaths.
The legendary star was honored on Sunday night during the Oscars' In Memoriam segment, as fellow Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman paid tribute to his former co-star.
