Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their home in New Mexico on Wednesday, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said.
Hackman was 95. Arakawa, a classical pianist, was 64. Their bodies were not formally identified until early Thursday, NBC News reported. Their dog was also found deceased in the home.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office has said that foul play is not suspected but the cause of death has yet to be determined.
According to a search warrant obtained by NBC affiliate KOB, deputies responded Wednesday afternoon to a request for a welfare check at the home. The front door was open when they arrived at the residence, though they noted no sign of forced entry.
The deputies found a dead German Shepherd in the closet of the bathroom, where they also found Arakawa on the floor near a countertop where there was an open prescription bottle with pills scattered around, according to the warrant.
Hackman was found in what appeared to be a mud room. The warrant stated that one of the deputies suspected Hackman had suddenly fallen.
Authorities cited in the warrant said that there were no signs of carbon monoxide leak or poisoning and no evidence to indicate any issue with the gas pipes in and around the house. The deputies also found two other dogs alive and healthy at the residence.
The sheriff believes “the circumstances surrounding the death of the two deceased individuals to be suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation,” the warrant said.
Sheriff Adan Mendoza said at a news conference on Thursday that the couple had been deceased “for quite a while” when deputies found their bodies.
Hackman’s family confirmed the couple’s death in a statement on Thursday. “He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa,” they said about the actor. “We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.” Hackman, who starred in acclaimed films including “The French Connection,” “The Birdcage” and “The Royal Tenenbaums,” was an award-winning actor whose career spanned decades. He was a recipient of two Academy Awards and four Golden Globes. Hackman retired from acting in 2004. The actor met Arakawa in the 1980s when she worked part-time at a California fitness center, according to The New York Times. The couple lived in Santa Fe.
Clarissa-Jan Lim is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW. She was previously a senior reporter and editor at BuzzFeed News.
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