Gene Hackman and Wife Betsy Arakawa’s Carbon Monoxide Levels Revealed After Their Deaths

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning, police revealed in their latest update. According to Variety, Sheriff Adam Mendoza in Santa Fe County said that both tested negative for the early suspect for their demises, while final toxicology tests remain pending.

The outlet also notes that Hackman’s pacemaker recorded its last event on Feb. 17, which authorities are now considering that as the time he initially died. The final toxicology reports could take months, but police confirmed “no external trauma” on either victim’s bodies.

According to Variety, police collected several items from the home as part of their investigation. This includes, “two green cell phones, two bottles of medication, one bottle of over-the-counter Tylenol, a request for medical records and a 2025 monthly planner.”

The couple’s bodies and the remains of one of their dogs were discovered in their Santa Fe home on Wednesday.

“Just based on their body and other evidence on the body, it appears several days and possibly even up to a couple weeks,” Mendoza had revealed in an earlier briefing. He was confident that foul play wasn’t involved at the time, but details continue to surprise authorities. The couple were even mummified in the home, drying out instead of decomposing.

The couple was discovered by a maintenance worker who contacted neighborhood security to do a welfare check on the couple. Two other healthy dogs remained at the property.

“Despite his age, he was in very good physical condition,” Leslie Ann Hackman told The Daily Mail after her father’s death went public. “She took very, very good care of him and was always looking out for his health. … So I am appreciative to her for that, and I’m very saddened by her passing.”