Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead alongside their dog at their New Mexico home on Wednesday, February 26, 2025.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza released a statement to the Santa Fe New Mexican, via The Guardian, confirming the deaths: “We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday.”
The sheriff’s office also stated that “an active and ongoing investigation” into their deaths is underway. Hackman was 95 years old, and his wife was 63.
Learn more about the cause of their deaths and the details of their relationship below.
The sheriff has not confirmed the cause of death or the circumstances, but police have stated that no foul play is suspected. In Mendoza’s initial report, authorities discovered an elderly man and his wife in her 60s dead. He reassured the public, saying, “I want to assure the community and neighborhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone. We do not believe foul play was a factor in their deaths; however, exact cause of death has not been determined at this time.”
According to investigators reported by AP News, the couple was found in different rooms of their Santa Fe home, and they had been dead for some time. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office noted in a search warrant that Hackman was discovered in a mudroom, while Arakawa was found in a bathroom next to a space heater. An open prescription bottle and scattered pills were located on the countertop near Arakawa.
The Daily Mail also reported that firefighters were called to the property, but there were no signs of a gas leak. The outlet added that Hackman was fully clothed, with his sunglasses found next to his body, suggesting he may have died from a sudden fall.
