How Gene Hackman's Health Was Drastically 'Slipping' in Months Leading Up To His and Wife Betsy Arakawa's Deaths
Gane Hackman's heath was 'slipping' in the months leading up to his death.
March 2 2025, Published 4:30 p.m. ET
Gene Hackman's health was waning for months before his tragic death alongside his wife Betsy Arakawa in their Santa Fe home, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Several of the Unforgiven actor's closest family friends opened up about Hackman's health, claiming it had been declining for some time.
Gene Hackman was found dead in his Santa Fe home alongside his wife and one of their dogs.
Daniel Lenihan, his wife Barbara and their son Aaron said Gene, 95, was "essentially kind of home-bound" and had noticeably "quit riding his bike through the neighborhood" about a year ago.
Aaron claimed Betsy, 65, had been doing her best to keep her husband "active and engaged and as healthy as possible" in his final days.
He said: "They seemed like real life partners, really, really close to each other, and they were both incredibly kind. And they were reserved, but they were real, (and) a lot of fun."
Barbara added: "Gene was as proud of Betsy as she was of him.
"She had been a concert pianist. Over at their houses, she had a special building, a studio that half of it was her grand piano (and) another half was Gene's art studio."
Gene Hackman's friends spoke out about the actor's health and habits.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, investigators have ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning and suggested that Hackman likely died nine days before his body was discovered as his pacemaker had stopped working on February 17.
Dr. Philip Keen, the retired chief medical examiner in Maricopa County, Arizona, said the moment when a pacemaker stops working could dictate a time of death, but not always.
The doctor said: "If your heart required a pacemaker, there would certainly be an interruption at that point – and it might be the hallmark of when the death occurred.
"But it's not necessarily because some people get a pacemaker to augment things, not necessarily replace things."
Gene Hackman died at 95.
Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza said prescription pills found near the body of the actor's wife were "important evidence" and cannot rule out "foul play".
The sheriff revealed how police also retrieved "other medications" from the gated ranch house in Santa Fe, New Mexico, US, where the partially mummified bodies of the Hollywood icon, 95, his wife, 65, and one of their three dogs were found.
Gene Hackman is best known for his roles in 'Unforgiven' and 'Superman'.
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Gene's body was found in an entryway. His wife was found in a bathroom on her side. A space heater was near her head, and pills were scattered next to an open prescription bottle on the counter. Investigators said the heater likely was pulled down when she fell.
Sheriff Mendoza told reporters during a press conference: "It's not normal to find two people deceased in the residence. That's concerning. And then there was also a dog that was in a kennel that was also found deceased."
The Lenihan family spoke with People about Gene's health in the months leading up to his death.
