Gene Hackman’s daughter Leslie has broken her silence on the mysterious deaths of her father and stepmother in an exclusive interview – revealing they hadn’t spoken in months.
The 95-year-old Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, were found dead on Wednesday in separate rooms of their £2.9 million Santa Fe home.
The couple’s bodies had been in their home for at least a day before deputies discovered them, with signs of decomposition present.
Leslie Hackman, 58, told the Daily Mail that the family suspects carbon monoxide poisoning may be responsible for the tragic deaths – with her sister Elizabeth previously explaining their thoughts.
The deaths remain a mystery as authorities continue their investigation, with Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirming that no signs of foul play have been found.
“We are waiting to hear from law enforcement regarding the cause of death,” Leslie told the Daily Mail.
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Elizabeth told TMZ today that the family believes “the cause might be from toxic fumes”, before the sheriff’s office revealed that “gas company and fire department personnel also responded” to ensure there were no dangerous fumes present.
Leslie revealed there was “no indication that there was any problem” with her father prior to his death and added: “Despite his age, he was in very good physical condition.
“He liked to do Pilates and yoga, and he was continuing to do that several times a week. So he was in good health,” and confirmed he had not undergone any major surgeries in recent months.
Leslie acknowledged that while his death wasn’t “terribly shocking because he was 95”, the circumstances remain concerning.
The Hollywood legend had been living a relatively private life in Santa Fe with Arakawa since retiring from acting and despite his reclusive nature, he remained physically active in his later years.
Leslie told the Daily Mail that despite living in California and not having spoken to her father for “a couple months”, they maintained a close relationship.
“We were close. I hadn’t talked to them for a couple months, but everything was normal and everything was good,” before she praised her father’s marriage to Arakawa, who was 31 years his junior.
“They had a wonderful marriage. And I give credit to his wife, Betsy, for keeping him alive. [Betsy] took very, very good care of him and was always looking out for his health.”
Leslie said she plans to travel to New Mexico once she hears back from police, with the family still processing what happened as they await official confirmation of the cause.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the investigation is “active and ongoing” and that detectives are examining the scene as the family awaits answers.
Hackman enjoyed a distinguished career spanning six decades in Hollywood, receiving two Academy Awards among numerous accolades.
He won his first Oscar for Best Actor as Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in The French Connection (1971) and his second for Best Supporting Actor in Unforgiven (1992).
The actor gained widespread recognition for his portrayal of villain Lex Luthor in Superman (1978) and its sequels.
Hackman retired from acting in 2004 after starring in Welcome to Mooseport.
He had been married to Arakawa, a classical pianist, since 1991 following his divorce from first wife Faye Maltese, with whom he shared three children.
