The actor, his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, along with a dog, were found dead by neighborhood security officials, at their New Mexico home on Wednesday. Authorities are still investigating the cause, which at this point is still considered “suspicious.”
Hackman’s pacemaker revealed that “his last event was recorded on Feb. 17, 2025,” Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said during a press conference Friday. Mendoza said it was “a very good assumption” to conclude that was Hackman’s “last day of life,” more than a week before he was found.
He also said that tests ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning as a cause of death for the couple.
Deputies found the 95-year-old actor and Arakawa deceased on Wednesday around 1:45 p.m., according to a statement Thursday from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office. Mendoza told the “Today” show on Friday that he’s “pretty confident that there’s no foul play” involved, though police are “not ruling that out.
“Hackman and Arakawa tested negative for carbon monoxide, Mendoza said during the press conference. According to the sheriff, the couple were transported to the office of the medical investigator early Thursday.
After leaving California, Hackman led intensely ‘private’ life in New Mexico
Jennifer LaBar-Tapia, of the Santa Fe Film Office, mourned the loss of Hackman at the start of the conference.
“Gene was not only a legendary actor whose talent shaped generations of storytelling, but he and Betsy were also longtime residents of our community,” LaBar-Tapia said, adding that the pair were “deeply woven” into Santa Fe, New Mexico, where Hackman lead a reclusive life after a lavish career in Hollywood.
After leaving California, the Hollywood icon led a quiet life in his beloved New Mexico, but authorities are shedding new light on what was found inside the Hackman home.
