Gene Hackman’s Family Reveals What They Believe Caused His and Wife Betsy Arakawa’s Deaths

After Oscar winner Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were shockingly found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home on Feb. 26, their family believes carbon monoxide poisoning is to blame, TMZ reports.

The French Connection star’s daughter, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, told the outlet that while the family isn’t sure, they suspect carbon monoxide could be behind the deaths of 95-year-old Hackman and 63-year-old Arakawa, as law enforcement found no signs of foul play.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza previously announced that the investigation into the couple’s passing is ongoing, revealing that Hackman and Arakawa were discovered dead alongside one of their dogs when a neighbor raised concerns about their well-being and deputies performed a welfare check on Wednesday.

Mendoza said that gas company and fire department personnel also responded to the scene to make sure there were no toxic fumes on site, with a search warrant obtained by TMZ advising that the fire department found no immediate signs of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning. The New Mexico gas company also conducted testing on the gas lines in and around the house, concluding, “As of now, there are no signs or evidence indicating there were any problems associated to the pipes in and around the residence.”

Deputies found the door to Hackman and Arakawa’s home unsecured and opened, as described in the search warrant, with a healthy dog running loose on the property and another healthy dog near Arakawa, who was found in the bathroom near a scattered bottle of pills and a black space heater. Hackman was located in another room, and deputies initially suspected he may have fallen suddenly due to the sunglasses found next to his body.

After tying the knot in 1991, Hackman and Arakawa moved to New Mexico in 2004 following The Royal Tenenbaums actor’s retirement from acting. The couple were famously private and were last seen together at a public event for the 2003 Golden Globes. The two were last photographed in public on March 28, 2024, when they were photographed grabbing lunch at Pappadeaux’s Seafood Kitchen in New Mexico. Hackman could be seen using a cane to walk at the time.