(NewsNation) — Investigators volition beryllium providing an update into the death of histrion Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, much than a week aft some were recovered dormant successful their location adjacent Santa Fe, New Mexico.
There are still much questions than answers successful the case, including however the mates died, however agelong their bodies were determination and if they died astatine the aforesaid time.
What happened to Gene Hackman?
Hackman and Arakawa were recovered connected Feb. 26, 2025, and the communicative has drawn wide attention. Officials initially said determination were nary signs of foul play but deemed the deaths sufficiently suspicious to warrant investigation.
Hackman, 95, and Arakawa were discovered by 2 attraction workers who saw the remains done the model and called the police. Hackman was recovered adjacent the room and Arakawa was recovered successful a bath with pills scattered nearby. One of the 3 dogs they owned was besides recovered dormant wrong a crate. The different 2 dogs were recovered alive.
The remains were decomposing and partially mummified, and that, on with grounds from Hackman's pacemaker, suggested they could person been dormant for arsenic agelong arsenic respective weeks.
Authorities person estimated that Hackman was apt dormant for 9 days earlier the assemblage was found, with the past lawsuit connected his pacemaker recorded connected Feb. 17.
The mates tested negative for c monoxide, and a state institution recovered nary grounds of state leaks, ruling retired c monoxide poisoning arsenic a origin of death.
There besides did not look to beryllium immoderate outer injuries connected the bodies, but authorities recovered decomposition and Arakawa's hands and feet appeared mummified, thing that usually starts much than 2 weeks aft a idiosyncratic dies.
Officials besides initially suspected a autumn arsenic Hackman was recovered with his walking cane and sunglasses adjacent to his assemblage but aboriginal said determination were nary indications of injuries that would person resulted from a fall.
Items taken from the location arsenic grounds included compartment phones and medication, including a thyroid medication, a medicine utilized for precocious humor unit oregon thorax symptom and Tylenol.
Questions astir investigation
The bureau starring the probe has been nether aggravated scrutiny, particularly aft immoderate discrepancies successful archetypal statements, including an archetypal misidentification of the breed of the canine that had died.
Another discrepancy came erstwhile the idiosyncratic who called 911 to study the bodies said the location was locked, and helium couldn't get inside. A lawman aboriginal the caller recovered the beforehand doorway unfastened and investigators aboriginal said the 2 surviving dogs had been capable to get successful and retired of the location done an unfastened door.