The legendary actor and his wife, a classical pianist, had been married since 1991 and were rarely seen in public.
Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their Santa Fe Summit home on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 26. Authorities have not suspected foul play, but an investigation is ongoing.
Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman, attend the 65th annual Academy Awards at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles, California, on March 29, 1993 | Source: Getty Images
Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Denise Womack-Avila said that Sheriff deputies arrived at Hackman and Arakawa’s home on Old Sunset Trail to respond to a welfare check request at around 1:45 p.m.
A welfare check, or wellness check, is a service provided by law enforcement to check on someone’s well-being when there are concerns for their safety. Officers visit the individual to confirm they are safe and not in distress.
The welfare check at Hackman and Arakawa’s home ended up with the police finding a couple and a dog dead. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed just after midnight on Thursday that the two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman, his wife, and their dog had died.
Mendoza stated that there were no immediate signs of foul play but did not disclose a cause of death or estimate when the couple had passed.
The sheriff has also notified the public that he and his team are in the middle of preliminary investigations as they wait on the approval of the search warrant. He also assured the community of their safety, adding that they were in no imminent danger.
