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Investigators are still working to figure out the cause behind the mysterious and sudden deaths of veteran actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa. Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were discovered dead on February 26, 2025, at their home in Santa Fe.
Although authorities ruled out gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning, a new theory from Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner James Gill suggests Gene Hackman may have died of heart failure brought on by stress.
Dr. James Gill, a longtime medical examiner in Connecticut who has no official ties to the case, shared his professional impressions with People Magazine of what may have occurred.
He speculated that Hackman, who had a history of heart disease and a pacemaker, could have experienced a cardiac event as a result of extreme emotional shock when he found his wife unresponsive. He said:
"There is this thing where the stress of seeing someone die that could have triggered a natural death in her.”
Gill speculated that if Gene Hackman discovered Arakawa dead or injured, the shock of the find might have sent a sudden burst of adrenaline through him triggering a cardiac arrest.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department has said the deaths are “suspicious enough” to continue seeking answers. Sheriff Mendoza has said more information will be released at a news conference, where the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator and the Department of Health will provide further updates.
More about Gene Hackman's mysterious death and investigators' ruling out gas leakage
After the couple’s bodies were found, the New Mexico Gas Company launched a thorough investigation into potential gas leaks and carbon monoxide exposure on the property (WION). On March 4, their results showed that levels of dangerous gases were not unusually high.
While a small leak was found at one stove burner, experts stated that it was not enough to be deadly. In addition, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza reported that toxicology reports of their corpse did not indicate any exposure to carbon monoxide.
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Gene Hackman’s body reportedly was discovered in a mudroom of the couple’s house while Betsy Arakawa’s was in a bathroom, where prescription tablets were scattered around and a space heater was on the floor.
A neighborhood security officer, acting on the concerns of a pest control worker who could not get in touch with the couple, saw their bodies through a window. The couple was believed to have been dead more than a week when they were found, the sheriff’s department said.
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