Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on Wednesday afternoon, according to local authorities. The two-time Academy Award winner, 95, and Arakawa, 63, were discovered alongside their deceased dog. Police have yet to determine the cause of death.

A Storied Career in Hollywood

Hackman’s career spanned over five decades, earning him two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, and the prestigious Cecil B. DeMille Award he received in 2003.

Born Eugene Hackman on January 30, 1930, in California, he moved frequently with his parents before they eventually settled in Danville, Illinois. At 16, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving four and a half years in China, Japan, and Hawaii. After his service, he briefly pursued journalism and television production at the University of Illinois before shifting his focus to acting.

At 27, Hackman enrolled at the Pasadena Playhouse in California, where he met Dustin Hoffman, a fellow aspiring actor.

1956, Hackman married Fay Maltese, with whom he had three children. Their marriage lasted 30 years before ending in divorce in 1986.

By 1964, at 34, Hackman landed a major Broadway role in Any Wednesday, which led to his breakout film performance in Lilith (1964) alongside Warren Beatty. A few years later, Beatty cast Hackman as his older brother in 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde, a role that earned Hackman his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor—the first of five career nominations.

Hackman won his first Oscar in 1972, taking home Best Actor for his role in The French Connection. The film, a defining moment in his career, is renowned for one of the greatest car chases in cinematic history—shot illegally across 26 blocks of Brooklyn.

Following The French Connection, Hackman continued to deliver powerhouse performances in films such as:

• Young Frankenstein (1974)
• Night Moves (1975)
• Bite the Bullet (1975)
• Superman (1978), in which he played Lex Luthor
• Unforgiven (1992) won him his second Oscar, this time for Best Supporting Actor.

Hackman also led several major blockbusters, portraying a rogue reverend in The Poseidon Adventure (1972), a determined high school basketball coach in Hoosiers (1986), a cunning tax lawyer in The Firm (1993), and an eccentric patriarch in The Royal Tenenbaums (2001).

In 1991, Hackman married Betsy Arakawa, a classical pianist. The couple lived quietly in New Mexico for over three decades, largely away from the public eye.

Though officially retired from acting in 2004, Hackman remained one of Hollywood’s most respected figures, known for his intensity, versatility, and commanding presence on screen.

His death marks the end of an era, leaving behind a legacy of cinematic excellence that will be remembered for generations to come.

Warning Graphic Details

Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at 1:46 PM: Two maintenance workers, Roland Lowe Begay and Jesse Kesler, discovered the bodies of Betsy Arakawa and her husband, retired Hollywood icon Gene Hackman, inside their luxurious Santa Fe mansion. Begay and Kesler told investigators they hadn’t seen Hackman or Arakawa for two weeks, and initial findings indicate that both had been deceased for some time.

Here is a timeline based on the affidavit for a search warrant:

February 26, 2025

• 1:43 PM – Santa Fe Regional Emergency Communications Center (RECC) receives a call from a reporting party (RP) about two deceased individuals inside a residence at 1425 Old Sunset Trail, Santa Fe, New Mexico. 911 Call

• Shortly After – Santa Fe County patrol deputies Javier Barron and Joshua Thomas are dispatched to the location for a death investigation.

Upon Arrival

• The front door of the residence is found ajar (open) but no signs of forced entry.
• The reporting party is identified as Roland Lowe Begay (65), a maintenance worker for Hoam Company. Another maintenance worker, Jesse Kesler (72), is also present.

Inside the Residence:

Bathroom (near the entrance)

• A deceased female is found lying on her right side near the countertop.
• She is wearing dark gray sweatpants and a light-colored sweatshirt.
• Black space heater near her head.
• Orange prescription bottle (open) with scattered pills on the counter.
• Signs of decomposition: bloating in the face, mummification in hands and feet.
• Closet near the bathroom: A deceased brown German Shepherd dog is found.

Mudroom/Kitchen Area

• A deceased male is found.
• He is wearing gray sweatpants, a blue long-sleeve shirt, brown slippers, and using a walking cane.
• Sunglasses are found near his body.
• No signs of struggle or trauma visible.

Further Investigation:

• Two other dogs are found alive on the property—one inside near the female’s body and another outside.
• Santa Fe City Fire Department tests for carbon monoxide poisoning—no leaks detected.
• New Mexico Gas Company conducts further gas line testing—no issues found.

Identity of the Deceased:

• The female is identified as Betsy Arakawa (61).
• The male is tentatively identified as Eugene “Gene” Allen Hackman (93), but confirmation is pending.

Property Ownership:

• The property is registered under the “Trustee of Edgar Gross”.

Final Determinations:

• No forced entry or rummaging in the house.
• No blunt force trauma found.
• Due to unsecured front door, scattered pills, deceased dog in a closet, and separation of the bodies, the deaths are considered suspicious.

A search warrant is requested to collect evidence and determine the cause of death.

February 28, 2025 

Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza held a press conference

• February 17, 2025 – The last “event” recorded on “The French Connection” Gene Hackman pacemaker

“According to the pathologist, I think it’s a good assumption that was his last day of life,”

March 7, 2025

No internal or external trauma was detected for Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa.

Arakawa cause of death: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome 

• Arakawa likely died first, around February 11, 2025
• Sheriff Adan Mendoza said investigators have been able to identify her on surveillance cameras earlier in the day on February 11, when all her outgoing communication and activity stopped.
• February 11, 2025, is also the last day Arakawa had email communications.

Hackman’s cause of death: Hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s were also a factor.

• Hackman likely died on February 18, 2025