Legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were likely dead for several days -- possibly even up to two weeks -- before their bodies were discovered in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home. The couple's bodies were found by a maintenance worker after neighbors and community workers had not seen them for roughly two weeks.
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Sheriff Adan Mendoza of Santa Fe County discussed the situation on the "Today" show Friday morning. He said that while the timeline remains difficult to establish, the evidence suggests the couple had been deceased for "several days, even up to a couple of weeks." He explained, "It's very difficult to put a timeline together even with the help of the office of the medical investigator."
Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were found in separate rooms of their multimillion-dollar home, along with one of their dogs. Arakawa was discovered on the floor of a bathroom near an entrance to the house. She reportedly was surrounded by prescription pills.
Police noted "obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mummification in both hands and feet," as described in an affidavit. Hackman was found in what appeared to be the home's mudroom, near a pair of sunglasses. Deputies reported that it seemed as though he had "suddenly fallen."
Despite the visible signs of decomposition, there were no indications of external trauma on either body. Authorities are investigating whether a gas or chemical leak may have played a role in their deaths. Hackman's daughter suggested that may have been the case.
"That was a home with natural gas in it, so it could have [played a factor in their deaths]," Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya said. However, Moya confirmed that searches conducted by authorities found no signs of a gas leak.
Hackman Deaths 'Suspicious'
The couple's deaths have been deemed "suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation." That's particularly due to the discovery of the door to the home being ajar. No sign of forced entry or theft was discovered, raising further questions.
Investigators are also attempting to track down anyone who might have spoken with the couple in their final days. However, Hackman and Arakawa were known for their highly private lifestyle, making it difficult for authorities to gather further details.
"There's no indication that anybody was moving about the house or doing anything different," Sheriff Mendoza said. "It's very hard to determine if they both passed at the same time or how close they passed together." He added that the autopsy report would be critical to the ongoing investigation.
For now, there is no clear answer about whether the couple died in the same manner. Nor is there any clarity on how the deaths occurred.
