Your tip
Your tip
RadarOnlineRadarOnline
or
Sign in with lockrMail
Exclusive

EXCLUSIVE: How Tragic Hollywood Star Gene Hackman's Ultra-Secret Compound Was Left Littered With Trash and Piles of Hoarded Garbage Before Sad Dementia Death as His Wife Lay Decaying From Killer Rat Virus

Photo of Gene Hackman and home
Source: Mega/Santa Fe Sheriff's Department

Gene Hackman's harrowing living coditions have been exposed courtesy of bodycam footage from cops investigating the death of the star and his wife Betsy Arakawa.

April 4 2025, Published 3:45 p.m. ET

RadarOnline CommentsLink to FacebookShare to XShare to FlipboardShare to Email

Police who rushed to respond to the discovery of Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa discovered a home in disarray, RadarOnline.com can exclusively reveal.

Newly released bodycam footage has revealed a home littered with trash and scattered garbage.

Article continues below advertisement
gene hackman trash
Source: Santa Fe Sheriff's Department

Trash bags were dropped on the yard outside

Article continues below advertisement

Hackman, who was 95 when he died, had left Hollywood long ago for a private life tucked away in Santa Fe.

The French Connection actor first bought the 12 acres of land in 1990, renovating a home already on the site before building another on the property 10 years later.

Hackman and Arakawa, 65, 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 shows a large trash bag lying on a patch of what looks to be artificial grass. Dog toys can 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.

Article continues below advertisement
gene hackman trash
Source: Santa Fe Sheriff's Office

Trash littered the grounds of the Hackmans' $4million Santa Fe compound.

Article continues below advertisement

A glimpse inside the home revealed more furniture and objects simply thrown around.

One neighbor confessed: "The inside of the house was shocking. They didn't have a housekeeper or a maid, so it had beautiful things - furniture and paintings - but there was dog poop on the floor."

They continued: "The inside of the house was bad. Nothing had been dusted. There was nothing in the fridge."

Hackman suffered from Alzheimer's in his final years. Experts say it's very likely that after Arakawa unexpectedly passed, dementia-stricken Hackman could have unknowingly shuffled aimlessly around his house, leading to the unkept conditions, until his eventual death on Feb. 17.

Article continues below advertisement
gene hackman hermit life tragic end betsy arakawa
Source: GMX.NET

She served as her husband Hackman's personal caretaker.

READ MORE ON EXCLUSIVES
Article continues below advertisement

Hackman retired from his Hollywood lifestyle in 2004, heading off to New Mexico, where he spent his time painting and writing.

Neighbors described the Superman star as a quiet part of the community. One said: "He drove a beat-up old pickup and was just like everyone else. He didn't expect special treatment."

Another would routinely see him at the local coffeehouse: "He looked a little grizzled, but in good shape. He seemed kind of sad and lonely."

Following his original purchase of the land, the Oscar-winner decided to reach out to architects Harry Daple and Stephen Samuelson of Studio Arquitectura for help refurbishing the home – but that would be a tall task.

Samuelson recalled: "The house was horrible. It was a 1950s block building that had sat empty and had deteriorated. But it was a great site, and the foundation had been well placed on the land."

After some time, Hackman and Arakawa were able to significantly transform the home, as the actor is said to have been involved in the renovation, including assisting with the demolition.

Radar Logo

Never Miss an

Exclusive

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.

Deputies discovered the couple's bodies "mummified" at their home on Feb. 26, two weeks after the couple was last seen.

According to a search warrant, Arakawa was found decomposed with bloating on her face and mummification in her hands and feet. Hackman was also found with the same signs of decomposition as his wife, a sheriff revealed.

Pills were also discovered scattered around in their bathroom as well as near Arakawa's body in the bedroom. The actor was in the home's mudroom, the warrant read.

Opt-out of personalized ads

© Copyright 2025 RADAR ONLINE™️. A DIVISION OF MYSTIFY ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK INC. RADAR ONLINE is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service, Privacy Policy and Cookies Policy. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services. Offers may be subject to change without notice.