Bodycam video reveals Gene Hackman's daughter asked cops to cremate and bury dog with Betsy Arakawa
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: Newly released police bodycam footage has revealed more details surrounding the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.
In the video, the legendary actor's daughter, Elizabeth Hackman, is heard instructing Santa Fe County deputies to cremate the couple’s dead dog and bury its remains alongside Arakawa. She also asks officers to save the dog’s collar as a keepsake.
Newly released bodycam footage shows Gene Hackman's daughter talking to a Santa Fe County Sheriff's deputy
TMZ acquired two videos related to the investigation. In one clip, a Santa Fe County Sheriff's deputy is seen on the phone with Gene Hackman's daughter, discussing how to handle the remains of a deceased dog discovered near Betsy Arakawa's body inside the home.
Identified by the outlet as Elizabeth, she instructed the officer to have the dog cremated and its ashes buried alongside Arakawa.
The footage also captures a somber exchange with a groundskeeper at the couple’s New Mexico home, who appears shaken by the realization that he will never see them again.
The 95-year-old actor and his wife were found dead in separate rooms of their residence on February 26. Authorities reported Betsy succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare and often fatal disease approximately a week before Gene himself died from heart disease.
Sheriffs noted that Hackman suffered from advanced Alzheimer’s, leaving questions about whether he was even aware of his wife’s death. The initial investigation labeled their deaths as "suspicious," leading officers to secure search warrants for medical records, medications, and cell phones.
Authorities also confirmed that of the couple's three dogs, an Australian Kelpie mix named Zinna had died inside a crate likely due to starvation and dehydration. The other two dogs were found alive.
Gene Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa likely didn't know how sick she was before her death
New reports suggest that Betsy Arakawa had no idea how serious her health condition was in the days leading up to her death, as per Irish Star.
According to Dr Josiah Child, a physician at Cloudberry Health, the 65-year-old had scheduled a medical appointment for February 12 but canceled it on February 10, citing a need to care for her husband instead. She called again on the 12th, seeking advice for what she described as mild congestion.
The doctor disclosed, "She called on the 10th saying that her husband was ill or wanted to take care of her husband. She wanted to cancel that appointment. She called back on the 12th and (looking for) advice. She said, 'I have some congestion and I just want some advice. What can I do about it?'
He further shared that she "had no shortness of breath or chest pain or fever or anything like that. Our receptionist spoke to the doctor and the doctor said, 'Well, I've never met her. We have to have an initial appointment.'"
Dr Child also mentioned to the Daily Mail that Arakawa exhibited no signs of breathing difficulties. The "appointment wasn't for anything related to hantavirus. We tried calling her a couple of times with no reply."
