Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman was found dead alongside his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, and their dog in their Santa Fe home on Wednesday afternoon. Hackman was 95 at the time of his death and his wife 63.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office confirmed the death to Fox News Digital early Thursday morning. “On February 26, 2025 at approximately 1:45 p.m., Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park where Gene Hackman, 95 and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, and a dog were found deceased,” the statement said.
The office confirmed that foul play is not suspected as a factor in the deaths at this time, but the cause of death has not been determined. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza originally told the Santa Fe New Mexican that at the time of the initial report they were conducting a preliminary death investigation.
“All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant,” the sheriff said Wednesday evening, before his agency had positively identified the pair.
Hackman was best known for his Oscar-winning performances in “The French Connection” and “Unforgiven.”
This is an active and ongoing investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza and officials have not provided a cause or time of death.
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