Hollywood personality Gene Hackman likely died on February 17, nine days before his body was discovered, according to an examination of his pacemaker, reports New York Times.
Sheriff Adan Mendoza of Santa Fe County confirmed the findings at a press conference on Friday, shedding light on the timeline of the 95-year-old actor’s death and that of his wife, Betsy Arakawa, 65.
Hackman and Arakawa were found in separate rooms of their Santa Fe, New Mexico home earlier this week. Mendoza said that Hackman’s pacemaker indicated its “last event” occurred on February 17, which the pathologist believes was likely the day of his death. Toxicology tests are still pending, and results may take up to three months.
No signs of carbon monoxide poisoning
Authorities ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning after initial tests. A law enforcement affidavit released on Thursday confirmed there were no gas leaks in or around the house. The couple’s deaths was described as “suspicious enough” to warrant a detailed investigation. The news has shocked Hollywood and the Santa Fe community.
Hackman’s body was found in the mudroom of the house, while Arakawa’s was in a bathroom, near an open prescription bottle and scattered pills. A space heater was also found near her head, apparently pulled down as she fell. One of their three German shepherds was found dead in a nearby closet, while the other two were alive.
Medications found
Investigators recovered common medications from the home, including thyroid pills, Tylenol, and diltiazem, a drug used for high blood pressure and chest pain. While these medications can be fatal in large doses, medical experts say it would take exceptionally high amounts and pre-existing conditions to be a likely cause of death.
Officers also found medical records and a 2025 planner, but details of its contents have not been disclosed. The couple’s phones and digital records will be examined to piece together their final days. Authorities do not believe the house had surveillance cameras.
A private couple
Hackman and Arakawa, known for their reclusive lifestyle in recent years, had little contact with outsiders. Chief Brian Moya of the Santa Fe Fire Department said there had been no emergency calls from the couple’s home in the past three years. A maintenance worker who arrived for routine tasks discovered their bodies after failing to gain entry and alerted security.
Hackman’s daughter, Leslie Ann Hackman, told The Daily Mail she had not spoken to her father in months but described him as being in “good health” for his age. She noted that he still practised Pilates and yoga.
Hackman had won two Academy Awards—Best Actor for The French Connection (1972) and Best Supporting Actor for Unforgiven (1992). His career spanned decades, with memorable roles in Hoosiers, The Conversation, and Mississippi Burning. After meeting Arakawa, a classically trained pianist, in the mid-1980s, the couple moved to Santa Fe, where Hackman lived a largely private life.
