Authorities Release Disturbing Update: Bodies of Gene Hackman and Wife Found ‘Mummified’
Gene Hackman, the renowned actor, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found deceased in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home. They had reportedly been dead for an extended period when discovered by a maintenance worker, along with their dog. both bodies showed meaningful signs of decomposition, with Arakawa’s body in a more advanced state, displaying signs of mummification.
Authorities indicated that the deaths were “suspicious enough” to warrant further examination, especially after finding pills scattered near Arakawa’s body, which the police consider important evidence.While there is currently no evidence of foul play, officials have not entirely ruled it out.The bodies bore no trauma signs, and there was no indication of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The couple’s last known interaction with maintenance workers was two weeks prior to the revelation of their bodies. Sheriff Adan Mendoza mentioned that a space heater found near Arakawa might have been knocked down during the time of her fall, contributing to the circumstances surrounding their deaths.
Actor Gene Hackman and his wife had apparently been dead for some time when they were found Wednesday in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home.
The bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found by a maintenance worker along with a dog.
An affidavit from a police officer, Arakawa’s body was in more advanced state of decomposition than that of her husband, according to People.
Arakawa “showed obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mummification in both hands and feet,” the affidavit said.
The affidavit said Hackman showed similar signs of death to his wife.
Mummification takes place after death when living tissue hardens due to a lack of water. Natural mummification takes place in dry, hot environments.
According to NBC, authorities said both had been dead “quite a while.”
A search warrant said both deaths were “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.”
Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza said pills found near Arakawa’s body was “very important evidence at the scene.” He added the police are “looking at that specifically and other medications that were possibly in the residence. That is something of concern.”
“I think I’m pretty confident there is no foul play just based on the lack of evidence of foul play, but we of course are not ruling that out,” he said.
The pills were scattered on a bathroom countertop near Arakawa’s body, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The LA Times report said both bodies appeared to have fallen abruptly and said the bodies of both Hackman and his wife were partially decomposed.
Police said the bodies had no signs of trauma and there did not appear to be evidence of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Hackman’s body was found near the kitchen. Police said they believe that a space heater found on the bathroom floor with Arakawa could have been knocked down when she fell to the floor.
According to Grok this is how long it takes for a body to begin the mummification process
Gene Hackman could potentially have mummified in less than a week pic.twitter.com/MZdT4FKqeF
— JJ von Pepe (@JJvonPepe17) February 27, 2025
Mendoza said it is uncertain when the couple died.
The property’s maintenance workers last spoke to Hackman and Arakawa two weeks ago, but often did not communicate with them while working around the house.
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