EXCLUSIVE: 'How Did His Family Let It Happen?' Gene Hackman's Hoarder Horror Home Footage Sparks Litany of Questions About Why He and Wife Betsy Arakawa Were Left to Live in Rat-Infested Squalor Before Brutal Double-Death
Fans were shocked Hackman's home was so messy.
April 17 2025, Published 2:30 p.m. ET
Recently released photos and videos showing the inside of Gene Hackman's cluttered and disheveled home have shocked longtime fans who couldn't believe the actor lived in such dilapidated conditions.
However, RadarOnline.com can reveal the star, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease and dementia, could very well have been unable to care for his home.
A sink was covered with various toiletries.
The new sheriff's department videos come from inside his New Mexico property, where the actor and wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in February.
Deputies walked through the kitchen as well as private bedrooms and miscellaneous rooms, which were littered with dog crates, clothes, books, documents and boxes.
The sides of a sink were also seen in the footage overflowing with toiletries and bottles of medication. And what appeared to be a bathtub was filled to the rim with boxes, books and documents.
One deputy could be heard in the footage insinuating that law enforcement had been told the couple were "very private people."
Empty boxes were scattered about.
As Radar reported, Hackman, 95, suffered from Alzheimer's in his final years.
Authorities say it's very likely that after Arakawa unexpectedly died from a rare rat-transmitted disease, dementia-stricken Hackman could have unknowingly shuffled aimlessly around his house, leading to the unkept conditions, until his eventual death a week later.
One expert in dementia told Radar: "No one should have to die the way Gene and his (wife) did."
They added without the guidance of a dedicated caretaker, it wouldn't take long for the home to fall into disarray.
"A person with Alzheimer’s at his advanced stage of the disease cannot cook, clean, nor care for themselves and the animals," the expert added.
Open pill containers were also discovered.
After retiring from Hollywood Hackman and Arakawa, 65, moved to Santa Fe, where they lived a hermit lifestyle, hiding away with their three dogs.
Deputies who first arrived at the house after the bodies were located provided a rare look at the property through their bodycams.
Shaky video showed a large trash bag lying on a patch of what looks to be artificial grass. Dog toys could also be seen strewn about.
The cluttered yard looked unkept, with foliage growing out of control and fallen leaves still waiting to be swept up.
Various pieces of pottery were placed haphazardly around the backyard, while a small fold-up table and chairs set was covered in differing items.
The floor was filled with trash.
Longtime friends said they they hadn't seen Hackman since before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Family members admitted they hadn't heard from the couple in months.
Renowned longevity expert Dr. Gabe Mirkin, who did not treat the couple, said the story could have had a different outcome: "This is the danger of having only one caregiver.
"Even with his health problems, if Mr. Hackman had been institutionalized – or at least had a professional assisted living caregiver – he may well have lived to be 100."
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Trash bags were dropped on the yard outside
Sources said the Superman star's heart pills were found scattered on a counter near Arakawa. The autopsy found Hackman, while hydrated, had no food in his stomach.
Mirkin suggested: "Mr. Hackman may have been trying to take his medication, but didn't know how.
"He likely didn't know, or was unable to process, that his wife had died. A demented person just cannot recognize things and the situation they are in. And he probably couldn't eat because food had been given to him and he was no longer able to do things for himself."
