Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy Arakawa's Bodies Were 'Mummified with Pills Scattered' in Mansion — Couple Wasn't Seen for 'Two Weeks' and Found Dead in Separate Rooms with No Suicide Note
Hackman and Arakawa were found dead insider their Santa Fe mansion.
Feb. 27 2025, Published 1:04 p.m. ET
Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa's bodies were found "mummified" at their $4million mansion, as they were discovered dead in separate rooms.
The couple's death is now being viewed as "suspicious" by investigators, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Gene Hackman's wife, Betsy Arakawa, lived a private life with the retired actor.
According to a search warrant, Arakawa, 63, was found decomposed with bloating on her face and mummification in her hands and feet. Hackman, 95, was also found with the same signs of decomposition as his wife, a sheriff revealed.
Pills were discovered tossed around in their bathroom as well as near Arakawa's body in the bedroom. Hackman was in the home's mudroom, the warrant read. The identities of both Hackman and Arakawa were not released for nearly 12 hours due to the condition of the bodies.
It is said a suicide note was not discovered on the scene.
“We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail," authorities said in a statement.
The couple tied the knot in 1991, four years after Hackman divorced his first wife, Faye Maltese.
One of Hackman and Arakawa's three dogs, a German Shepherd, was also found dead in a closet, while the other two were alive.
The Santa Fe Sheriff's Department noted foul play is not believed to be the cause of death, but the investigation is ongoing. Hackman's daughter Elizabeth Jean speculated her father and stepmother may have died due to a carbon monoxide leak.
Police, however, noted there was not "obvious signs of a gas leak."
Following his death, a chilling video of Hackman resurfaced about the icon opening up about dying.
He said: "I try to take care of myself. I don't have a lot of fears. I have the normal fear of passing away.
"You know, I guess we all think about that, especially when you get to be a certain age. I want to make sure that my wife and my family are taken care of. Other than that, I don’t have a lot of fears."
Less than a year before their death, Hackman and Arakawa were spotted on a public outing in Santa Fe during a date. In the images, the Behind Enemy Lines actor gripped his wife's arm while using a cane to walk.
Hackman once said he had 'fears' about passing away.
During his legendary Hollywood career, Hackman reeled in two Oscars for his work on The French Connection and Unforgiven. He also made memorable appearances in other films including The Birdcage, The Replacements, The Royal Tenenbaums, Mississippi Burning, and Superman: The Movie, alongside Christopher Reeve.
Hackman was married twice, as he first tied the knot with Faye Maltese in 1956 and they parted ways in 1986. They welcomed three children during their relationship, son Christopher and daughters Elizabeth Jean and Leslie Anne.
He previously said of his divorce: "... We just drifted apart. We lost sight of each other. When you work in this business, marriage takes a great deal of work and love.”
In 1991, Hackman and Arakawa were married, after first meeting at a gym.
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Hackman and Arakawa's death is now being called 'suspicious.'
The movie star was well known for keeping his private life out of the spotlight, once telling film critic John C. Tibbetts: "I like to keep my personal life fairly common, so that in my art, one can let go and one can soar."
