8 unanswered questions surrounding Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa's deaths

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: Hollywood is in shock and mourning as details continue to emerge about the baffling deaths of two-time Oscar-winning legend Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65. Now, the full extent of the police investigation has been revealed for the first time, and it is shedding light on the eerie circumstances surrounding their passing.

Authorities in Santa Fe, New Mexico, have released a search warrant that exposes chilling mysteries—from an ajar front door to an open bottle of pills near Betsy’s body.

Firefighters even tested for carbon monoxide poisoning—often dubbed the “stealth assassin”—but the results were inconclusive. Meanwhile, Hackman’s daughter Elizabeth Jean Hackman remains convinced that toxic fumes could be the cause of death, The Sun reported.

As cops continue to piece together what really happened, eight major questions remain unanswered.

1. Did Gene Hackman suffer a fatal fall?

When deputies entered the home, they immediately noticed a pair of feet and legs sprawled near the kitchen area. According to the report, Hackman was found in the mudroom, wearing gray sweatpants, a blue long-sleeve T-shirt, and a pair of brown slippers while holding a walking cane. Nearby, his sunglasses lay on the ground. 

Based on his training and experience, Deputy Joshua Thomas suspected that Hackman had suddenly fallen, possibly leading to his death. Even more troubling was the fact that his injuries appeared “consistent” with those of his wife—making the case even more perplexing.

2. Why was the front door open?

The home’s front door was reportedly wide open when maintenance workers arrived. While there were no signs of forced entry, police are yet to determine how long the door had been ajar or if someone had entered—or left—the residence.

One of the couple’s dogs was in the garden, leading some to speculate that the pet may have pushed the door open. But officers still aren’t convinced that the open door is just a coincidence.

3. Did Betsy Arakawa also fall?

Betsy Arakawa’s body was discovered in the bathroom, and a black space heater was found near her head. The officer at the scene suspected that the heater might have toppled over if the pianist had fallen abruptly.

But that wasn’t the only odd detail—a nearby prescription bottle had been opened, with pills scattered across the countertop. Did she suffer a medical event? Did she fall? Or was something more sinister at play?

4. What were the pills found near Betsy Arakawa’s body?

The open prescription bottle found near Betsy Arakawa's body is raising serious questions. Cops have only revealed it was an orange-colored prescription bottle but have yet to confirm what type of medication it contained—or whether it played a role in her death.

The pills were scattered across the bathroom counter, and with no suicide note found, the Mirror reported. It remains unclear if this was an overdose, a medical emergency, or something else entirely.

5. Why were the bodies of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa in separate rooms?

One of the most puzzling aspects of the case is that Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa weren’t together when they died. The actor was found fully clothed in a wet room off the kitchen, while his wife was discovered in the bathroom, according to the news outlet. Given their long and loving marriage, their separation in death is raising major red flags.

Were they both suffering from something at the same time? Or did one die first, leaving the other too weak or disoriented to seek help? These questions remain unanswered at the time of publication.

6. Why was the dog in the closet?

If the circumstances weren’t eerie enough, authorities also found one of the couple’s dogs dead inside a closet. 

According to several reports, authorities “observed/found a deceased brown in color German Shepherd canine. The deceased canine was located approximately 10-15 feet from the deceased female in a closet of the bathroom.” However, the police report does not confirm whether the closet door was open or shut at the time.

With no clear cause of death for the dog, investigators are now questioning whether the canine suffered the same fate as its owners—or if it was simply hiding from something.

7. Why were Gene Hackman's other two dogs healthy?

Even more bizarre is that while one dog was dead in the closet, the couple’s two other dogs were completely fine. According to the report, one healthy dog was inside the bathroom near Arakawa's body, while the other was outside. If there was a toxic gas leak or poisoning, it should have affected all the dogs present in the household.

This anomaly is fueling speculation that Hackman and his wife’s deaths may not have been as natural as they first appeared.

8. When was the last contact with Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa?

Police have confirmed that the last known contact with the Hackmans was two weeks before their deaths.

According to maintenance workers, they "rarely saw the owners (of the residence) when conducting routine maintenance on the home. Both indicated they maintained contact with the homeowners through text message and phone calls and primarily communicated with the female homeowner.”

It remains unclear whether their last communication was a face-to-face meeting or a simple digital exchange. Could they have been sick or struggling for days without anyone knowing? Or was someone avoiding being seen? These questions also remain a mystery at the time of writing.