How Gene Hackman's Two Surviving Dogs Bear and Nikita Performed Heart-Wrenching Final Act of Loyalty as Their Owners' Bodies Rotted in Reclusive Hollywood Icon's Ultra-Private $4Million Compound
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa's beloved dogs directed emergency responders to the Hollywood legend's body.
March 13 2025, Published 12:45 p.m. ET
Gene Hackman's two surviving dogs showed heart-wrenching loyalty to their Hollywood star owner as he lay dead in his Santa Fe home.
RadarOnline.com can reveal emergency responders to his $4million property were met by German Shepherd Bear and Akita-shepherd mix Nikita.
Oscar winner Hackman was found in the mudroom of his sprawling $4million Santa Fe mansion.
They bounded up to crews, frantically barking before running off.
Initially, the team thought the dogs were being playful, but it was soon revealed that they were actually trying to lead the paramedics to Hackman's body in their final act of loyalty to their owner.
The team had already found the body of 65-year-old Betsy Arakawa in the bathroom of the mansion but despite a 30-minute search of the property, they were unable to find the 95-year-old.
Thanks to the help of his dogs, Hackman's body was located in the mudroom at the far end of the sprawling 9,000-square-foot home.
Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya said: "They realized (the dog) was trying to say, 'Hey, come over here! Come over here!'"
After leading the team to him, one of the dogs sat beside Hackman's body.
Nikita was "skittish because of all the commotion" and refused to leave the sides of both of her owners, authorities said.
Hackman was found dead in the home he shared with wife Betsy Arakawa, whose lifeless body was also found close by.
Both dogs who are now in a boarding facility until the couple's wills are read and they can be re-homed are said to be "healthy."
Hackman and Arakawa's third dog Zinna was found dead in a crate in the bathroom near the pianist's body in a "mummified state," according to cops.
The 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mix had undergone a veterinary procedure in the days before Arakawa's death but it is not known what killed the dog.
Hackman's wife was found to have died seven days before the actor on February 11 from a rare rodent disease called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
Hantavirus spreads when exposed to rodents' urine, droppings, and saliva, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Hackman, who was suffering from advanced Alzheimer's, was then alone in the house for days.
It is possible that he did not know of his wife's body in the bathroom.
He then died on February 18 when the last signal from the actor's pacemaker was recorded.
The medical examiner ruled his cause of death as hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiac disease and noted that his Alzheimer's will have played a "significant" role in his death.
Hackman's two surviving dogs have been taken into care at a pet daycare facility and will eventually be re-homed.
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.
He tested negative for hantavirus, Chief Medical Investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell revealed.
No one knew of the couple's fates until February 26 when a neighborhood caretaker called 911 after finding them unresponsive at the property.
Investigators are awaiting cell phone records from the couple's phones though it is "very unlikely" they will bring anything to light that authorities do not already know, Sheriff Adan Mendoza said in an update.
