Why Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa’s body showed signs of mummification when discovered at home
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO: Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa’s body showed signs of mummification when it was found at their home in New Mexico on Wednesday, February 26, according to PEOPLE.
Notably, initial findings from the autopsies of the actor and his wife revealed "no external trauma", according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.
Betsy Arakawa's body showed signs of mummification
As per an affidavit from an officer requesting a search warrant, which was obtained by People, Betsy Arakawa's body was in the process of decomposing when it was found.
The report stated that her body "showed obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mummification in both hands and feet."
The process of mummification takes place when dead tissue turns into a hard, shrunken mass, mostly due to dehydration, according to the outlet.
After a person dies, the body starts to decompose naturally almost immediately.
Notably, natural mummification can occur in dry and hot environments, whereas artificial mummification can happen through several processes like embalming, wrapping the body, etc.
In ancient times, Egyptians used mummification to preserve the body after a person's death.
According to a report published by the National Institutes of Health, the complete mummification of the human body is a time-consuming process and takes several weeks to 6-12 months.
The report mentioned that the time can vary depending on conditions, reportedly being dry air, good ventilation, solar radiation, and high temperature.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office told TMZ that Hackman and Arakawa's bodies had been in their home for at least a day before deputies found them on Wednesday.
The search warrant affidavit stated that the deaths of the Oscar-winning actor and his wife were "suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation."
Gene Hackman was kept on strict diet by wife Betsy Arakawa, claims friend
Gene Hackman’s old friend and former business partner, Doug Lanham, revealed that the actor followed a strict diet under the guidance of his wife, Betsy Arakawa.
He informed TMZ that Arakawa closely monitored her husband's diet and insisted he followed a strict eating regimen.
Moreover, Lanham added that the only time Hackman managed to have a cheat meal was during their golf outings, one of the few times he was out of Arakawa’s sight.
Lanham also recalled how the actor became interested in the restaurant business and eventually co-owned Jinja Bar & Bistro.
Interestingly, Hackman remained a frequent guest at the restaurant even after selling his stake seven years ago as he opted for healthier choices like halibut or rice-paper salmon instead of steak, per the outlet.
Furthermore, Lanham remembered Hackman as a prankster who loved pulling silly tricks on him. He added that one of his favorite pranks was pressing a finger to Lanham’s back and saying, "Reach for the stars."
