Did Gene Hackman’s home have secret tunnel filled with dead bodies? Viral rumor debunked

After the legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, died in February 2025, a new rumor surfaced online speculating about a secret tunnel containing dead bodies under their Santa Fe, New Mexico home.

The rumor seems to have started with a YouTube channel named The Ultimate Discovery, which published a video claiming that Hackman’s home had been under investigation by the FBI and that authorities had discovered a hidden tunnel containing 701 bodies.

The video, which more than 800,000 users have viewed, offered no credible evidence to support its claim. Moreover, the channel has a disclaimer that its content is for entertainment purposes, frequently mixing facts, rumors, and fiction.

The viral claim was investigated by a reputable fact-checking website, Snopes, and no evidence was found to warrant the claim. No credible reports from law enforcement agencies, news outlets, or investigators that such a tunnel existed.

According to Snopes, the speculation about their home started to emerge in part because of the mysterious circumstances of their deaths. Betsy Arakawa, 65, had reportedly passed away from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome on February 11, while Gene Hackman, 95, died a week later of heart disease and complications from Alzheimer’s.

Their bodies were discovered late, leading to the public’s fascination about their death. On March 7, New Mexico’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Heather Jarrell, shared official details about the Gene Hackman’s death at a news conference. During his report he did not mention anything about any secret passage or tunnels.

New reports online talk about Gene Hackman’s dog’s cause of death

An autopsy of Zinna, THE dog discovered dead near Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa in the couple’s Santa Fe home, indicates that the animal suffered from severe dehydration and starvation at the time of her death.

A report from the veterinary lab of the New Mexico Department of Agriculture said the dog exhibited signs of partial mummification. According to reports, the advanced decomposition led to organ damage making it difficult to assess, but there was no indication of disease, trauma or poisoning.

Zinna was a kelpie mix and was found dead in a bathroom closet beside Arakawa’s body. Unlike the other two dogs, both of which survived, Zinna’s condition indicated that she had been neglected for an extended period after the couple’s deaths.

According to AP News, Zinna was a shelter dog who was very close with Arakawa, and had been taking care of her. Joey Padilla, who owns the Santa Fe Tails pet care facility, spoke fondly of the dog.