Gene Hackman likely dead for nine days before discovery, pacemaker shows

According to official sources, actor Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased at their home in New Mexico, and data from Hackman's pacemaker indicated that he may have died nine days before being discovered. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza stated at a press conference on Friday that the pacemaker recorded Hackman's "last event" on February 17th. The sheriff believes that the pathologist's inference that February 17th was Hackman's last day of life is "very reasonable."

The Hackmans and their pet dog were found dead this week, and officials deemed the circumstances "suspicious enough" to warrant a full investigation. Investigators have extracted several items from the Hackmans' home, including two green cell phones and three medications: thyroid medication, diltiazem (used to treat high blood pressure or chest pain), and Tylenol.

According to a search warrant affidavit released by the Santa Fe County Court, police also seized records from MyQuest (a medical diagnostic service) and a 2025 monthly planner. Currently, the cause of death for the 95-year-old Hackman and Betsy Arakawa is undetermined. Preliminary autopsies and official reports indicate that there were no obvious signs of trauma or immediate indications of homicide, nor were there any signs of carbon monoxide or natural gas leaks. Sheriff Mendoza stated on Friday that carbon monoxide tests for both Hackmans came back negative.

The Hackmans' bodies were found in different rooms of their secluded residence, with pills scattered near Arakawa's body. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza stated in an interview with NBC's "Today" show that investigators have not determined whether Hackman and Arakawa died at the same time, but they may have been dead for some time before being discovered. Sheriff Mendoza stated, "It appears that it has been several days, possibly even weeks." Experts told CNN that precisely determining the time of death can be challenging.

Gene Hackman was an Oscar-winning actor known for his roles in films such as "The French Connection," "Hoosiers," "Unforgiven," and "The Firm." Arakawa, thirty years younger than Hackman, was a classical pianist. Maintenance workers discovered their bodies at Hackman's home before 2 p.m. local time on Wednesday. A 911 call reported that they saw two people unconscious through a window but could not enter the house.

Upon arriving at the scene, police found Arakawa's body on the bathroom floor, with an orange prescription bottle and pills scattered on the ground nearby. The affidavit stated that the body "showed obvious signs of death, with decomposition, facial swelling, and mummification of the hands and feet." Hackman's body was subsequently found on the floor near the kitchen, in a similar condition, with a cane and a pair of sunglasses nearby. The affidavit stated that a deputy suspected he had suddenly fallen. A German Shepherd was also found dead in the bathroom. Police clarified that the dog was in a crate, not in a closet as stated in the affidavit. Two other healthy dogs were found inside the residence. Mendoza told reporters on Thursday that the couple had been dead for quite some time. The affidavit stated that maintenance workers told police they had not been in contact with the homeowners for two weeks.

A forensic investigator not involved in the Hackman investigation told CNN that while the condition of the bodies can provide general clues about the time of death, it can only be an estimate. Dr. Kendall Crowns, chief medical examiner for Tarrant County, Texas, stated, "In an ideal world, you can determine or get a good idea of how long they've been deceased, but those circumstances often don't exist." Dr. Priya Banerjee, clinical assistant professor of forensic pathology at Brown University, stated that even a complete autopsy cannot precisely determine the time of death.

Dr. Banerjee said, "It's not like on TV, where we can narrow it down to the day or the minute." Instead, forensics must also rely on electronic evidence collected by police, such as phone records, to narrow down the time frame. Dr. Banerjee said, "Often, if it's been more than a few days, there may be uncollected mail outside. Even things like Ring (doorbell) cameras or neighbors' Ring cameras might have caught them outside."

The Sheriff's Office stated that the couple's cause of death is under investigation. A sheriff's deputy stated in the affidavit, "The circumstances surrounding the deaths of these two deceased individuals are considered suspicious enough in nature to warrant a thorough search and investigation." Mendoza told NBC on Friday, "I think I'm very confident that there was no foul play, simply because of the lack of evidence of foul play. Of course, we're not ruling that out."

Fire officials arrived on the scene and "found no signs of carbon monoxide leaks or poisoning," and workers from a gas company tested gas lines inside and outside the residence and found no immediate problems. Hackman and Arakawa moved to the Santa Fe area more than a decade before Hackman's formal retirement at age 74. He told Architectural Digest in 1990, "There's a kind of magic here." New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham posted on Facebook on Thursday, "For decades, Gene chose Santa Fe as his home, living among us not as a Hollywood icon, but as a low-key and friendly member of our community. We are all proud to call him our neighbor." Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber told CNN affiliate KOAT, "I think you rarely find someone who achieved so much but wasn't looking for special treatment or recognition."

The couple's residence, where they were found, is located in a gated community at the end of a long, winding driveway. It was a fitting home for the reclusive star, with expansive views of the nearby mountains but secluded enough to be largely out of cell phone range. Official autopsy and toxicology reports have not yet been released, and the Sheriff's Office has requested carbon monoxide and toxicology tests for Hackman and Arakawa. Chris Ramirez, a spokesman for the state Office of the Medical Investigator, said that forensic reports containing the final cause of death typically take four to six weeks to complete. Mendoza told NBC, but toxicology reports could take three months or longer to complete, depending on the lab's workload.

Hackman's daughter and granddaughter said in a statement that the actor's family is "heartbroken by the loss." The statement read, "It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy. He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us, he was simply Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him dearly." A source familiar with the Oscars' behind-the-scenes planning told CNN that the actor will be honored at Sunday's ceremony. Details have not been finalized, but the "In Memoriam" montage may be edited to include Hackman's contributions to film. Another possibility is a scripted mention of Hackman's death on the awards stage by host Conan O'Brien or another performer.

Over a career spanning five decades, Hackman won two Oscars and received five nominations. He won for his portrayal of New York City police officer Popeye Doyle in the 1971 film "The French Connection," a detective who would stop at nothing to catch criminals. He won his second Oscar for his role as the violent sheriff Little Bill Daggett in Clint Eastwood's 1992 film "Unforgiven."