Santa Fe fire chief explains why deputies took time to locate Gene Hackman's body after 'man down' call

SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: Deputies took time to locate Gene Hackman’s body inside his large New Mexico home after Santa Fe Fire department responded to a call regarding a "man down."

Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa was found first while a full sweep of the residence was required before discovering him.

Betsy Arakawa was found in bathroom near front door

Santa Fe fire chief Brian Moya told TMZ that paramedics responded to a "man down" call from Gene Hackman’s address on Wednesday, February 26.

The team, including a fire engine and an ambulance, entered through an "unlocked front door," with sheriff's deputies arriving later.

"They found Betsy right away, on the floor of a bathroom near the front door," Moya said.

His team, trained to identify clear signs of death, determined Betsy had died and "no resuscitation efforts were made."

EMS personnel then stepped back, waiting for deputies to take over the scene.

Detectives took time to find Gene Hackman in 'massive house'

Once deputies arrived, they conducted "a full sweep of the massive house," Brian Moya told TMZ.

He added, "It took them a while before they eventually found Gene in the mudroom kitchen."

Moya also stated that "Gene was obviously dead too," so no resuscitation efforts were performed.

Moya, according to the report, shared that paramedics were unaware of the pills later found near Betsy's body or of the dead dog in a closet of the bathroom.

"There wasn’t anything unusual other than the bodies," he noted, as per the report.

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa may have been dead for days or weeks

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told 'Today' that the couple might have been deceased for "several days, even up to a couple of weeks."

"It’s very difficult to put a timeline together even with the help of the office of the medical investigator," Mendoza said.

"Just based on their body and other evidence on the body, it looked — it appears [that they were deceased for] several days, even up to a couple of weeks," Mendoza added.

Mendoza further noted that investigators were "trying to put together a timeline" of the couple’s final days and determine whom they may have seen or "spoken to."

However, he said that the actor, 95, and classical pianist, 64, were "very private individuals and a private family."

Moya stated that "nothing’s been ruled out yet" regarding the cause of death and urged people not to jump to conclusions.

"The autopsy results will be key to getting the answers they need," he said.