Key Points:

• Gene Hackman, the Oscar-winning actor, likely died nine days before his body was discovered.
• His last pacemaker signal was from February 17, according to authorities.
• Tests ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning and foul play has been eliminated.
• The couple's health status and medications are under investigation.
• Hackman was 95 and a prominent figure in the film industry with a career spanning over six decades.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza has reported that Gene Hackman likely died nine days before he and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered deceased in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home. The report indicated that the last signal from the 95-year-old actor's pacemaker was recorded on February 17, suggesting that this could have been his last day alive. The Sheriff emphasized that the specific cause of death for both Hackman and Arakawa, aged 64, is still being determined, while foul play has been ruled out as a possibility.

The couple was found in separate rooms of their residence, with Hackman located in the kitchen and Arakawa discovered in a bathroom along with their dog. According to the caretaker, who called emergency services after peering through a window, the scene was troubling, as pills from an open prescription bottle were scattered on the bathroom counter. Sheriff Mendoza noted that both appeared to have fallen without any signs of blunt force trauma.

Authorities conducted tests for carbon monoxide poisoning, which returned negative results. The Sheriff also mentioned that he has requested a comprehensive toxicology report to analyze the medications within the home, describing it as "something of concern." The results of this report may take several months to complete, highlighting the potential complexity surrounding the circumstances of their deaths.

Gene Hackman, renowned for his distinctive raspy voice and an extensive career that began in the early 1960s, made a significant mark in the film industry. His accolades include two Academy Awards, one for best actor in The French Connection and another for best supporting actor in Unforgiven. He and Arakawa, who married in 1991, had been private individuals, having lived in Santa Fe since the 1980s and being involved in the local arts and culinary scenes. Recent years had seen them less visible, attributed mainly to Hackman's declining health.

Mendoza also reported that evidence gathered from the couple's home included various medications for heart and thyroid issues, a 2025 calendar, two mobile phones, and health records. This incident has drawn significant attention, given Hackman's celebrated status and the mysterious nature of the circumstances surrounding the couple's untimely deaths.

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