Police have released the 911 call made by a maintenance worker who discovered the bodies of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa at their Santa Fe home.
The couple, aged 95 and 64 respectively, were found dead on Wednesday at their property in New Mexico.
A frantic maintenance worker alerted emergency services after spotting a body through a window of the locked house.
One of the couple’s three dogs was also found dead at the scene.
Authorities have launched an investigation into the deaths, which they described as “suspicious enough” to warrant thorough examination, though foul play is not currently suspected.
The 911 call, obtained by several news outlets, reveals the distress of the maintenance worker who made the discovery.
“I think we just found two or one deceased person inside a house,” the caller told the dispatcher.
When asked if the victims were awake or breathing, he replied: “I have no idea. I’m not inside the house. It’s closed, it’s locked. I can’t go in, but I see she’s laying down on the floor from the window.”
The worker, who identified himself as a caretaker for the subdivision, offered to meet emergency responders at the gate.
“No, they’re not moving,” he added when asked if there were signs of life. “Just send somebody out here real quick.”
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According to a search warrant, police found Hackman’s body in the home’s entryway, while Arakawa was discovered next to a space heater in a bathroom.
Pills were scattered on a bathroom countertop near an open prescription bottle close to Arakawa’s body.
The bodies showed signs of decomposition, with Arakawa’s face bloated and her hands and feet showing signs of mummification.
A German Shepherd dog was found dead in the bathroom closet near Arakawa. Two other dogs were found alive on the property – one inside and one outside the home.
The maintenance worker told police he had last seen the couple around two weeks before the discovery.
Authorities have said no foul play is suspected, but the circumstances were deemed unusual enough to warrant a thorough investigation. Initial autopsy findings showed “no external trauma to either individual,” according to police reports.
Carbon monoxide and toxicology tests are still pending, with results yet to be determined. The Santa Fe City Fire Department tested for carbon monoxide leaks but found no evidence of gas poisoning.
Hackman’s daughter Elizabeth had initially suggested carbon monoxide poisoning as a possible cause, but this theory appears unlikely based on fire department findings.
Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza told reporters: “We’re not going to guess this was an accident or natural causes. It wasn’t typical.”
Hackman was a two-time Academy Award winner, known for his roles in The French Connection and Unforgiven.
His career spanned over four decades, with notable performances in films such as Superman, The Conversation and The Royal Tenenbaums.
Hackman retired from acting in 2004, with his final film being Welcome to Mooseport.
He married Arakawa, a classical pianist, in 1991 after divorcing his first wife Faye Maltese. The couple had lived in their Santa Fe home for many years, with Architectural Digest featuring their residence in 1990.
In recent years, Hackman remained active as a cyclist and attended cultural events in Santa Fe.
Hackman’s family confirmed his death in a statement released through his representative.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy,” the statement read. “He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa.”
“We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
The couple are survived by Hackman’s three children from his first marriage: Christopher, Elizabeth and Leslie. The investigation into the exact circumstances of their deaths continues.
