Gene Hackman’s dead dog misidentified by officials in latest twist in actor’s death investigation
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: Gene Hackman’s dead dog was reportedly misidentified by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office in the latest twist in the actor’s mysterious death.
The earlier reports by the sheriff’s investigators mentioned that they found "a deceased brown in color German-Shepard canine" and the description matched the deceased couple’s German Shepherd, Bear, according to the New York Post.
Gene Hackman’s dead dog misidentified by officials
USA Today, however, reported on Monday, March 3, that Gene Hackman's German Shepherd, Bear, was alive and perfectly healthy and was found in a local pet daycare facility along with the couple’s 7-year-old Akita-shepherd mix, Nikita.
Interestingly, the dog that died in the actor's home was a 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mixed-breed named Zinna, who was trained in agility skills to compete in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the outlet reported.
The dog's body was found in a closed crate in Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa's multi-million dollar estate.
SFCSO spokeswoman Denise Womack-Avila informed the New York Post, "Our deputies do not deal with canines on a daily basis and I cannot currently speak to the condition or state of the dog’s body upon discovery."
TMZ had earlier reported that one of Hackman's dogs was found dead in a bathroom closet, only about 10 feet from Arakawa's body. A bottle of pills was scattered on the bathroom counter near Arakawa's body, cops said in a search warrant.
Key items seized from Gene Hackman’s home
Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe mansion on February 26 after a maintenance worker raised the alarm and called 911 on seeing their bodies inside the house, The US Sun reported.
Investigators labeled the deaths as "suspicious" and seized key items from the couple’s mansion as they try to unravel the mystery. However, no obvious signs of foul play have been found.
As per court records obtained by ABC affiliate KOAT, authorities confiscated two green-colored mobile phones, health records, and a 2025 monthly calendar planner from the couple's home.
Moreover, medications were also confiscated for further examination, such as Tylenol, thyroid medication, and Diltiazem, a drug used to treat high blood pressure and chest pain, per the outlet.
Meanwhile, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adam Mendoza talked about the case on the 'Today' show. Host Savannah Guthrie asked if the pills found near Arakawa's body could be connected to the deaths, to which Mendoza replied, "That’s obviously very important evidence at the scene."
He added, "So we’re looking at that specifically and other medications that were possibly in the residence. So that is something of concern."
The search warrant mentioned that Arakawa's body also showed signs of mummification which suggested she could have been there for over a week, according to the outlet.
Meanwhile, Hackman was found dead in a mudroom, with his cane and sunglasses nearby. Police said that his body position indicated he had collapsed suddenly.
