Gene Hackman: Santa Fe Official Gives Update on Death Timeframe for Actor and Wife

Fresh insights into the mysterious passings of Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his spouse suggest the couple likely died around the same time, according to a local authority’s recent statement.

Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya has offered a new perspective on the puzzling deaths of the 95-year-old Oscar winner and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, who were discovered alongside one of their pets in their New Mexico residence on Feb. 26. “Just because both bodies were in similar ways, it could be a similar timeframe,” Moya explained to Fox News in a March 5 interview.

The fire chief additionally noted that throughout his three-year tenure, emergency services had never been summoned to the couple’s home, suggesting no history of previous medical incidents requiring official response.

Investigators continue piecing together the circumstances surrounding the deaths. According to a search warrant affidavit obtained by NBC News, authorities found Hackman in a mudroom, with evidence suggesting he may have experienced a sudden fall. Meanwhile, Arakawa was discovered on a bathroom floor with a space heater positioned near her head and prescription medication scattered across a nearby counter.

Law enforcement officials have utilized data from Hackman’s cardiac device to establish a possible timeline. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adam Mendoza revealed during a Feb. 28 press conference that the pacemaker’s final recorded activity occurred on Feb. 17—nine days before the bodies were discovered. “That is a very good assumption that that was his last day of life,” Mendoza stated.

Despite these clues, establishing a precise chronology remains challenging. Mendoza acknowledged the difficulty, explaining that based on physical evidence, the deaths could have occurred “several days, possibly even up to a couple of weeks” before discovery. He added that there were no indicators of movement throughout the residence, complicating efforts to determine whether the deaths occurred simultaneously.

Cause of death determinations remain pending, though carbon monoxide poisoning has been ruled out through testing. Authorities have scheduled a joint press conference with New Mexico’s medical investigator and health department representatives for Friday to provide additional updates.

Initial reports misidentified the deceased animal as a German Shepherd, but USA Today later confirmed it was actually the couple’s 12-year-old Australian Kelpie named Zinna. Two other dogs were found alive on the property.

As investigators continue their work, Hackman’s family members are avoiding speculation. “We’re waiting on toxicology. That will tell us everything,” the actor’s nephew, Tim Hackman, told Us Weekly. “There are lots of theories out there and I don’t want to speculate.”

Authorities have indicated that while circumstances appear “suspicious,” they currently suspect “no foul play” in the deaths of the couple, who had established a quiet artistic life in their Santa Fe community during their final years.