The legendary actor and his wife, a classical pianist, had been married since 1991 and were known for keeping a low profile.
Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered deceased in their Santa Fe Summit home on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 26. Authorities do not suspect foul play at this time, though an investigation remains ongoing.
On Wednesday afternoon, sheriff’s deputies arrived at the couple’s residence on Old Sunset Trail to investigate the deaths of two elderly individuals and a dog. It is unclear whether officers responded to a welfare check request or were alerted to the situation by another means.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed just after midnight on Thursday that two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman, his wife, and their dog had passed away. While there were no immediate indications of foul play, he did not disclose a cause of death or provide an estimated time of passing.
The 95-year-old actor and author, along with his 63-year-old wife, had resided in Santa Fe since the 1980s. Their home was located in a gated community off Hyde Park Road, just north of Ten Thousand Waves.
Sheriff Mendoza stated that his team is in the early stages of the investigation as they await approval for a search warrant. He also reassured the community that there is no immediate threat to public safety.