Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s contractor says finding couple dead was ‘the worst day’ of his life

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: New details continue to emerge as questions remain surrounding the deaths of Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65. 

The reclusive couple found dead on February 26, had a long-time contractor and handyman, 52-year-old Jesse Kesler, who had worked with them for 16 years. 

In an exclusive interview with Daily Mail, Kesler has broken his silence, recounting the chilling moment he discovered their lifeless bodies. 

He shared what prompted him to check on the couple’s home, his emotional reaction to their deaths, and the deep respect he has shown throughout the ongoing investigation.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s handyman recalls finding lifeless bodies of couple

In his first interview since the tragic incident, Jesse Kesler revealed the emotional toll of discovering the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa.

Reflecting on the experience, he said, "I wish I'd gone in quicker. I might have been able to save Gene or the dog. To be honest, it was awful. It was one of the worst days of my life, and I've had some bad days. To see someone like that.” 

His voice trailed off, before adding, “I was hoping for a better outcome, that maybe they were out of town and they just didn't tell anyone, or they got locked in the wine cellar by accident.”

Kesler, the owner of Santa Fe’s Mud City Builders, had initially refrained from speaking out of respect for the extremely private couple. 

His decision to remain silent was later reflected in a statement he posted on his door on March 1. However, in a recent phone interview, he explained that the traumatic event and the spreading of misinformation about the case had taken a significant emotional toll on him. This led him to seek therapy and eventually speak out to clear the air.

As the general contractor for the Hackmans, Kesler’s company handled everything from renovations to new construction and routine maintenance. 

He described his relationship with the couple as one of constant communication. He last interacted with Betsy through email just days before her suspected time of death. 

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa's contractor says he thought couple was angry with him

Jesse Kesler's worry grew when neither Gene Hackman nor Betsy Arakawa responded to his messages for several days, causing him to become increasingly alarmed.

At first, Kesler attributed the lack of communication to a simple misunderstanding or an accident. However, as time passed, his concerns deepened, and he feared the worst. This prompted him to contact law enforcement.

He explained, “For the first week, I thought maybe she was mad at me. I thought I had done something wrong. We have other projects going on and I [thought] I might have slipped and said, ‘oh yeah, we're doing this for this other person.’ So I thought maybe I'd got caught. I thought maybe I was in trouble.”

Kesler then reached out to his employee, Dwayne, who shared similar concerns, thinking that the couple might be angry with him too, since he hadn’t heard from them either.

Kesler continued, “It was probably in the last three days where I decided, okay, something's wrong, and we started the process to determine what the hell was going on. It wasn't like we were just up there and just stumbled across it.”

“It was a two-week event that led up to us finally going in. We knew something was wrong. We were trying to get the process done correctly, not just walk on someone's property,” he added.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s handyman says he 'did not enter' after finding couple’s bodies

When Jesse Kesler and security guard Ron attempted to enter Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s mansion, Kesler reported catching a glimpse of Betsy, found on the bathroom floor. Meanwhile, Ron called the police, who later discovered Hackman's body in another room.

In a phone interview, Kesler explained, “We did not enter. The door was open to the bathroom from outside. We looked in, she was close and it was very obvious she was gone.”

Kesler recalled the immediate warning he received from the police shortly after reporting the couple's bodies: “I was told to stay out of the house, and [not to] go in there. I was hysterical. I pretty much lost it.”

He continued, “Me and Dwayne were there dealing with the cops, telling them it's not carbon monoxide, we know this house. They didn't want to listen to anything we had to say, and they found it out themselves.”

As the investigation progressed, Kesler felt increasing tension as police began to scrutinize him as a possible suspect. Though he was never officially named one, he could sense that the authorities were focusing on him, adding significant stress to an already overwhelming situation.

“It was pretty stressful," Kesler shared. "In the beginning, I had the police going through all my stuff, my phone, my computer."

He added, “Yeah, I was the guy that knew something was badly wrong and I'm the guy that found them. And suddenly, it's like, you're suspect number one. They never said that, but you know, it's like, ‘oh man, I'm the only one they're looking at right now.’ That's their job and they have to figure stuff out, and thank god they figured it out."

Despite the tension, Kesler remained supportive of the investigation and expressed relief that authorities were able to piece together the events surrounding the deaths.

Later in the interview, Kesler shared his thoughts on the cause of death. He believed Hackman, who had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, likely died about a week earlier from complications related to the illness, while Betsy tragically died from a rare disease.