Sheriff Reveals How Long He Thinks Gene Hackman and Wife Were Dead Before Their Bodies Were Discovered

Mar. 15, 2025

While appearing on theTodayshow on Friday, Feb. 28, Adan Mendoza shared some insight into the possible timeline of Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths and their investigation after deputiesfound the couple deceasedin separate rooms of their Santa Fe home along with one of their dogs on Feb. 26. Two other dogs were discovered alive and healthy on the property.

“It’s very difficult to put a timeline together even with the help of the office of the medical investigator,” Mendoza said. “Just based on their body and other evidence on the body, it looked — it appears [that they were deceased for] several days, even up to a couple of weeks."

Mendoza added that they were “trying to put together a timeline” of the couple’s last few days alive and who they may have seen or “spoken to.” However, he said that it was a “challenge” as the actor, 95, and classical pianist, 65, were “very private individuals and a private family.”

Actor Gene Hackman with wife Betsy Arakawa at the United Celebral Palsy of New York City’s 15th annual Champagne Stakes.Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty

Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty

He also noted that it was “difficult to determine” whether the couple — who had been married for over 30 years — died in the house at around the same time. Mendoza said that was one of the factors they were taking a look at in their investigation.

“There’s no indication that anybody was moving about the house or doing anything different, so it’s very hard to determine if they both passed at the same time or how close they passed together,” he said. “We’re trying to put that information together … and I think the autopsy report is going to be key to this investigator.”

Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya, who joined Mendoza onToday, noted that since Hackman and Arakawa were found “several days” after their death, some type of leak may have “possibly” been a factor in the pair’s death. Hackman’s daughterElizabeth Jean Hackmanpreviously shared that their family suspected they may have died due to toxic fumes, likecarbon monoxide.

Actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa pose for a portrait in 1986 in Los Angeles.Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty

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“That was a home with natural gas in it, so it could have [played a factor in their deaths],” Moya said. “There’s a lot of unanswered [questions] there. When we arrived, we made sure our people as well as the sheriff were safe, and there was nothing that we found. We also went back again yesterday to do another round of searches … and we didn’t find anything as well.”

Moya and Mendoza also discussed other elements of the investigation, including the locations of the bodies — Moya noted that one was found in the “living room” while another was found “a little farther” — and also the fact that an open prescription bottle with pills sprawled out was found on the scene.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa.Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

“That’s obviously very important evidence,” Mendoza said. “… We’re looking at that specifically and other medications that were possibly in the residence. So that is something of concern.”

However, Mendoza also explained that he was confident no “foul play” was involved “based on the lack of evidence” at the scene pointing to that, but admitted investigators “are not ruling that out.”

“I think the autopsy results, the official results are going to help steer us in the right direction,” Mendoza said. “… The autopsy is key. That’s going to take some time, so I hope a little bit of patience on the family’s part, on everybody’s part, so we can have some answers into these deaths.”

In a news release on Feb. 27, Mendoza repeated that there were “no apparent signs of foul play” at the scene, but nonetheless called the circumstances of the deaths “unusual.”

The actor was a five-timeOscarnominee — and two-time winner — and gained recognition when he broke out in the 1967 filmBonnie and Clyde. He notably also played the villain Lex Luthor in the 1978 filmSuperman, and has had a diverse career with roles in the 1998 animated filmAntzand the 1996 comedyThe Birdcage.

Hackman sharedthree childrenwith his first wifeFaye Maltese: Christopher Allen Hackman, 63, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, 61, and Leslie Ann Hackman, 57.

source: people.com