Gene Hackman Is Found Dead Inside His Beloved $4 Million Santa Fe Compound—Alongside Wife Betsy Arakawa and Their Dog

Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog have all been found dead inside their longtime home in New Mexico.

Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Denise Womack-Avila told CNN that police officers responded to a welfare check request at 1:45pm on Feb. 26. Hackman, 95, Arakawa, 63, and their pet dog were all found dead inside the $3.8 million Santa Fe property.

A cause of death has not yet been determined; however, authorities said foul play is not suspected—however, mystery surrounds the circumstances of the tragedy, particularly after The New York Times reported that Hackman and Arakawa were found in separate rooms at the home.

One of the couple’s three dogs was also discovered to have died, Sheriff Adan Mendoza of Santa Fe County told the outlet in an interview—adding that authorities had visited the home after receiving an emergency call from an “associate” of the family found the bodies of the actor and his wife at the property.

TMZ later reported that Arakawa’s body was found with signs of “mummification,” with a search warrant revealing that a detective who examined her found “bloating in her face and mummification in her hands and feet.”

The outlet states that the pianist was found in a bathroom of the home lying on the ground, with a black space heater near to her head. An orange prescription bottle was found on the countertop, with several pills “scattered” on the surface.

Meanwhile Hackman’s body was found in a room off the kitchen, fully clothed, with the detective writing in his search warrant that he believes the actor may have suffered from a sudden fall, because his glasses had fallen from his body. The couple’s German Shepherd was discovered in a closet near the bathroom, about “10-15 feet” away from Arakawa’s body.

However, Sheriff Mendoza told the Times that there were “no obvious signs of trauma” to the bodies and that no suicide note was found at the home.

“At this stage in the process there isn’t anything obvious like that,” he said. “The autopsy is going to tell us more.”

He added that officers received confirmation from the local fire department and gas company that they were safe to enter the property, explaining: “We’re not going to guess this was an accident or natural causes. It wasn’t typical.”

In a previous statement, the local sheriff’s office said that the incident is still undergoing investigation, stating: “Foul play is not suspected as a factor in those deaths at this time, however exact cause of death has not been determined. This is an active and ongoing investigation.”

“The Royal Tenenbaums” star Hackman and his pianist wife—who wed in 1991—had been living in the home for several decades. The actor purchased the property in the 1980s for an undisclosed amount and spent years working to turn the home into an idyllic escape from the pressures of Hollywood.

Hackman’s rustic-style home sits atop a hill and spreads across 12 acres.

The residence boasts at least four bedrooms and 360-degree mountain views that stretch as far as Colorado.

When Hackman purchased the home in the 1980s, he quickly set about renovating it, explaining to Architectural Digest in a 1990 interview that he preferred to “interpret what’s already there” rather than tearing it down to make way for a new dwelling.

“I think it’s like being an actor. I interpret what’s already there. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I guess I like the process, and when it’s over, it’s over,” he told the outlet.

At the time, he described Santa Fe as having “a kind of magic in it,” explaining that he fell in love with the region after filming several movie projects there—and set about establishing his 10th home in the region.

Hackman became so enamored with the home that he built a second property on the land in 2000, turning it into the perfect hideaway from Hollywood, where he ultimately spent much of his final years.

Hackman worked closely with Harry Daple and Stephen Samuelson, of Santa Fe firm Studio Arquitectura, to fully remodel his home.

At the time, Samuelson told AD: “The house was horrible. It was a 1950s block building that had sat empty and had deteriorated. But it was a great site, and the foundation had been well placed on the land.”

Hackman and Arakawa wanted to make the property more welcoming so they tore down blocking walls and added French doors that allowed natural light to flood in.

Hackman was extremely involved in the renovating process, and when he wasn’t available to be on-site due to his filming schedule, Arakawa would call him to inform him of the changes.

Samuelson described Hackman as a “deeply involved client, very artistic, very keen on details.”

He added: “[Hackman and Arakawa] were not interested in recreating native pueblo architecture. It’s not purist at all. It’s more primitive, like a barn converted into a house, massive and cozy at the same time.”

The roof was torn down so the ceiling could be raised, and the couple added three extra rooms into the property by knocking down walls.

The expansive living area boasts cozy furniture from around the world and large columns because the actor wanted the property to be a “haven” when he came back from filming.

Hackman wanted the home to blend the classic Sante Fe design with touches of New York, Los Angeles, and Germany, which is where he purchased some of his furnishings.

He wanted the home to come with a ‘great-hall feeling’ that was not ‘closed off’ by walls.

He confessed that his New Mexico property was “totally different” from his other residences because it wasn’t as “formal.”

In recent years, it has been estimated that the property is worth around $3.8 million.

The actor and his wife previously owned a three-story villa in Montecito, CA, which he sold in 1985 for $5.5 million.

The property came complete with a marble reception hall, a 35-foot-long living room, a dining room, an elevator, and a grand staircase.

It also boasted a stunning swimming pool and sweeping views of the ocean.

The Hackmans decided to part ways with the property because they wanted to move back to Los Angeles.

The actor also previously owned a 4-acre property in Pebble Beach, CA, which featured four bedrooms, five bathrooms, and two half-bathrooms—all sprawled across 12,688 square feet.

Hackman sold the property in 1993.

Hackman announced his retirement from acting last year and retreated to his New Mexico home to bask in a quiet lifestyle.

In the 1990s, Hackman underwent surgery after being rushed to the hospital due to chest pain. The actor had to have a balloon catheter inserted to help open an artery in his heart.

Last year, Hackman and his spouse were spotted in public for the first time in 21 years in snaps that saw the actor holding onto Arakawa.

After retiring from acting, Hackman took up painting and fishing and penned three historical fiction novels.

Hackman was born in California in 1930 and left his family home at the age of 16 to serve in the Marine Corps from 1947 to 1952.

He then worked as a broadcast journalist before getting his big break thanks to his performance in the 1967 film, “Bonnie And Clyde.”

Hackman received multiple Oscars during his acting career, which spanned across six decades.

In 1972, he secured an Oscar for Best Actor for his role as Detective Jimmy ‘Popeye’ Doyle in “The French Connection,” and he took home a Best Supporting Actor award for his role in “Unforgiven.”

Hackman famously portrayed supervillain Lex Luthor in the 1978 “Superman” film, which starred Christopher Reeve and Marlon Brando.