EXCLUSIVE: Fate of Gene Hackman's 'Babies' Revealed After Horror Triple Death Of Actor, Wife and Their Beloved Pooch — With Pet Daycare Owner Revealing Condition of Acting Icon's Two Surviving Dogs Nikki and Bear
Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa's two surviving dogs have been taken in at a pet-care centre in Santa Fe.
March 6 2025, Published 12:19 p.m. ET
The fate of Gene Hackman's two surviving pet dogs found at the scene of the Hollywood's icon’s tragic death has been revealed.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the animal-mad actor's beloved pooches Nikki and Bear are now "safe and adjusting" after being taken into care in the wake of owners Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa being found dead inside their $4million Santa Fe Home – with the body of their third dog also discovered lifeless at their home.
Hackman and Arakawa were found dead inside their Santa Fe home, where one of their three dogs also perished.
The couple's third dog was an Australian kelpie mix named Zinfandel, or Zinna, and even though it perished, its pals Nikki and Bear were found alive – adding to the mysterious circumstances surrounding the gruesome discovery last week.
Zinna was tragically discovered in a crate around 10 to 15 feet from Arakawa's body when the couple were found on February 26.
Bear and Nikki appeared to have access to a doggy door, which saved their lives.
One was found near Arakawa's body and the other was located outside, according to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza.
Hackman and Arakawa's 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mix Zinna was discovered dead in a locked kennel, while a doggy door is believed to have saved the lives of pooches Nikki and Bear.
Joe Padilla, the owner of pet daycare Santa Fe Tails, has the two surviving pups in his care.
In a statement to RadarOnline.com, Padilla, who often boarded the couple's dogs before their tragic deaths, said the dogs are "healthy and receiving the best care in a familiar environment.
"They are surrounded by people they know who love them and are committed to their safety."
He also revealed their fates, clarifying: "I am awaiting word from Betsy's lawyer in regards to her final wishes for these dogs."
The owner went on to say how Hackman and Arakawa were "amazing friends and dog lovers," and that the pets were Arakawa's "babies".
Padilla said he frequently went out to eat with the couple before the pandemic hit in 2020.
In the years since they struck up a friendship, Padilla said he stopped seeing Hackman as Arakawa tried to "keep him away from people" to protect his health.
Padilla said the last time he saw Arakawa was in January when she dropped off one of their beloved dogs, Bear.
Recalling their final conversation, he said: "She was the same old, just, you know, 'Hey, how's it going, good to see you.'"
Padilla added: "I'm terribly saddened. They were really good people."
Following a thorough investigation, the New Mexico Gas Company made "no significant findings" of gas leaks or carbon monoxide in the home, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office confirmed.
Hackman was discovered dead in the mud room of his house, while his wife was found lifeless on their bathroom floor.
But the gas company did issue five "red tags" – including one for the minor leak at the stove burner which registered "0.03 per cent gas in the air".
This is considered to "not be a lethal amount".
Police said: "The other four red tags were for code enforcement violations - not involving gas leaks or carbon monoxide — involving a water heater and gas log lighters installed in three fireplaces."
Cops discovered the beloved actor and his wife in their home on the afternoon of February 26.
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Officials later found the couple had likely been dead for over nine days after Hackman's last recorded activity on his Pacemaker was on February 17.
Cops found Hackman in a mudroom with his cane and sunglasses near his body.
Police noted the legendary actor looked like he suffered a sudden fall to the ground.
