• Update March 7th: The coroner’s office have released their findings, stating that Betsy Arakwawa died on the 11th of February due to “natural causes” due to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is a disease carried by infected rodents. The disease can be passed from rodent to human, but not human to human. Gene Hackman is believed to have passed on February 18th, the day his pacemaker stopped recording, due to hypertensive cardiovascular disease caused by Alzheimer’s. The coroner did note that said, that it was impossible to fully confirm the date of passing.
• Update February 28th: Officials now say that Gene Hackman’s pacemaker stopped functioning on Feb 17th, which is likely the day that he died. Both bodies tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Update February 27th: The authorities have released a statement saying that the circumstances surrounding Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s deaths are “suspicious enough” to require a thorough investigation.

Gene Hackman, one of the finest actors of his generation, was found dead in his home alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and one of their dogs. While the sheriff’s office has currently stated that foul play is not suspected, the New Mexico residence is currently being investigated due to the suspicious nature of the deaths.

The pair were discovered on Wednesday, after a concerned neighbour inquired about their status after being unseen for the better part of two weeks. Hackman, 95, was discovered in the home’s mud room, with the front door open, while his wife, 64, was found in a bathroom. Per a search warrant affidavit, her body bore visible marks of mummification, and perspecption pills were scattered on the floor. Nearby was one of their dogs.

Santa Fe FD stated that they found no signs of carbon monoxide poisoning at the home, but can’t rule it out as it’s still possible that such fumes may have escaped the home through a window or an opened door. But they said they haven’t found any signs of damage to the piping within the house.

Hackman was a two-time Oscar-winning director and considered by many to be one of the all-time greats. He appeared in numerous projects from the 60s until his retirement in the 2000s. He secured his Oscar wins for Best Actor in 1972’s The French Connection and 1991’s Unforgiven. He’s perhaps best known for playing Lex Luthor in the Christopher Reeve Superman films. Other notable projects of his include Mississippi Burning, The Royal Tenenbaums, and The Conversation. He moved to Santa Fe in the 80s and was even a board member at the Georgia O’Keeffe museum. He actively avoided the Hollywood circuit and was seen as more of an “every man”, someone who was there to do a job and didn’t bask in his celebrity.

We’ll update this story as it develops.