Hollywood icon Gene Hackman and wife found dead at New Mexico home; investigation underway

SANTA FE, New Mexico. Legendary actor Gene Hackman, known for his intense on-screen presence and two Academy Award-winning performances, was found dead at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, along with his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the discovery on Wednesday afternoon, stating that one of the couple’s dogs was also found deceased.

The 95-year-old actor and his 64-year-old wife were located in separate rooms of their residence. While authorities do not currently suspect foul play, the exact cause of death remains undetermined.

“Foul play is not suspected as a factor in these deaths at this time; however, the exact cause of death has not been determined,” the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. Investigators are considering all possibilities as they await autopsy results and toxicology reports.

Mysterious Circumstances Prompt Investigation

A maintenance worker discovered the bodies after noticing the home’s front door ajar. The sheriff’s office obtained a search warrant Wednesday evening, citing the deaths as “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.”

The warrant application indicated no signs of forced entry or any immediate evidence of a gas or carbon monoxide leak, though these factors remain under review. Sheriff Adan Mendoza stated during a press conference that Hackman and Arakawa had “been deceased for quite a while,” though the exact timeframe is still unknown.

Deputies found Hackman’s body in the kitchen, while Arakawa and a dog, inside a crate, were discovered in a bathroom. Pills from an open prescription bottle were scattered on the bathroom counter. Neither showed signs of blunt force trauma.

Two other dogs were found alive, roaming freely through the house via a pet door.

A Storied Career in Film and Television

Gene Hackman’s Hollywood career spanned over six decades, with more than 80 films to his name. A former Marine with a distinctive raspy voice, he made his mark with roles that ranged from heroes to villains.

He received his first Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Buck Barrow in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and later won his first Oscar for Best Actor as Popeye Doyle in The French Connection (1971). His second Academy Award came in 1993 for Best Supporting Actor in Unforgiven (1992), where he played a ruthless sheriff.

Hackman also garnered acclaim for roles in Mississippi Burning (1988), Hoosiers (1986), and as the cunning Lex Luthor in Superman (1978) and its sequels. Despite his many accolades, Hackman was known for his humility. In a 2011 interview with Time, he admitted he was unsure where his Oscar statuettes were stored.

A Private Life Away from Hollywood

Born in San Bernardino, California, on January 30, 1930, Hackman endured a turbulent childhood. His father, a newspaper press operator, abandoned the family, and his mother later died in a fire. Hackman once remarked, “Dysfunctional families have sired a number of pretty good actors.”

After joining the Marines at age 16 by lying about his age, he later pursued acting at the Pasadena Playhouse, where he met Dustin Hoffman. The two, along with Robert Duvall, navigated the tough early days of acting together before breaking into Hollywood.

Hackman retired from acting in his 70s, citing the stress of the business. “I miss the actual acting part of it as it’s what I did for almost 60 years and I really loved that,” he told Reuters in 2008. “But the business for me is very stressful … and it had gotten to a point where I just didn’t feel like I wanted to do it anymore.”

Hackman lived a quiet life outside Santa Fe and was married twice. He had three children – Christopher, Elizabeth Jean, and Leslie Anne – with his first wife, Faye Maltese, who passed away in 2017. He married Arakawa in 1991.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the couple’s deaths. Further details are expected as the case unfolds.