It has been reported by Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza that both Gene Hackman, a prolific actor, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, a pianist, passed away at their home.

The circumstances surrounding their deaths, however, have left many with more questions than answers, as Fox News reported.

Additionally, one of their pets also passed away together. On Wednesday, February 26, they were discovered inside their residence, which was located in the Santa Fe Summit community.

Cause of Death Inquiry

It has not been determined what caused the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa as of the time this article was written.

Reporters were informed by the sheriff's office that there is "an active and ongoing investigation" into the deaths of the individuals in question.

The Santa Fe cop who requested the search warrant claimed in his affidavit that "the death of the two deceased individuals to be suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation." TMZ did not provide any further information regarding this particular search warrant.

The front door was "unsecured and opened," with one of the couple's three dogs wandering the yard and another inside (the third dog was found dead near Hackman's wife), raising suspicions.

More Suspicious Facts

Not only that, but there was also a space heater that was not in its proper location, an open pill bottle, and pills that were dispersed.

As an additional point of interest, there were "no obvious signs of a gas leak."

As reported by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office to TMZ, the bodies of the deceased individuals had been where they were found for a minimum of 24 hours.

The Last Days

Based on the last day his pacemaker recorded an "event," which was on February 17th, investigators concluded on February 28 that Hackman probably passed away on February 17th, according to NBC News.

"I think that is a very good assumption, that that was his last day of life," said Mendoza.

Mendoza added during the same press appearance that Hackman and Arakawa did not test positive for carbon monoxide poisoning. The couple's last days are being pieced together by the authorities.

Their most recent public appearance was on March 28, 2024, when they dined at New Mexico's Pappadeaux's Seafood Kitchen, as reported by the New York Post.

Couple's Illnesses

It is unknown whether Hackman and Arakawa were sick in the days leading up to their deaths by the time they passed away.

While the pair, married in 1991, have never had children of their own, Hackman and Faye Maltese, his first wife, had three children during their time together.

Christopher Allen was their son, and Elizabeth Jean and Leslie Anne were their daughters.