Gene Hackman and wife’s deaths branded ‘suspicious’ by cops in search warrant

Gene Hackman and his wife’s deaths alongside their beloved dog have been branded “suspicious” according to authorities, it has been reported.

The Oscar-winning actor, 95, his wife Betsy Arakawa and their beloved dog were tragically found dead in their home in New Mexico just after midnight on Thursday. The police have said it is currently an active investigation but they do not believe that foul play was a factor at this time.

Police have since requested a search warrant for the Santa Fe home. According to Sheriff Adan Mendoza, the couple died around midnight on Thursday 27 February and told The Santa Fe New Mexican : “I want to assure the community and neighbourhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone.”

And in the search warrant, obtained by TMZ, the detective who asked for the search warrant has written in his affadavit that he thinks that “the death of the two deceased individuals to be suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation”.

It continues to say that the reporting party “found the front door of the residence unsecured and opened” and that “deputies observed a healthy dog running loose on the property, another healthy dog near the deceased female, a deceased dog laying 10-15 feet from the deceased female in a closet of the bathroom, the heater being moved, the pill bottle being opened and pills scattered next to the female, the male decedent being located in a separate room of the residence, and no obvious signs of a gas leak”.

Betsy, 64, was found decomposed in the bathroom, with signs of mummification on her hands and feet and bloating on her face, according to the warrant. Pills were found scattered on the countertop next to an open orange prescription bottle.

It is believed that Gene had similar signs of decomposition as his wife and was found in a separate room off the kitchen. The Hollywood actor is suspected to have suddenly fallen, with his sunglasses found near his body.

The couple’s dead German Shepherd dog was found in a closet off the bathroom, just around 15 feet from Betsy. The other two dogs were found alive, with one near Betsy’s body and the other wandering around the property.

No gas leak was found when firefighters were called to the property. It comes after Gene’s family said earlier today that they suspected carbon monoxide poisoning to be the cause of their deaths.

Gene had a career that spanned over six decades, with the star receiving two Academy Awards, two BAFTA Awards, four Golden Globes, a SAG Award as well as the Silver Bear. He was known for his roles in The French Connection, Unforgiven, I Never Sang for My Father and Bonnie and Clyde. He secured the best actor Oscar in 1972 for his role as Detective Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in The French Connection and landed a further Academy Award in the best supporting actor category for his part in 1992 Western Unforgiven, directed by Clint Eastwood.

A statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff in New Mexico said there is an “active investigation” was underway: “We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail. This is an active investigation – however, at this time we do not believe that foul play was a factor.”

Read updates on the tragic death of Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa in the Mirror’s live blog HERE

Tributes have pouring in from around the world, with Lorraine Kelly speaking about the tragedy as the news broke on Good Morning Britain. “That is a real shocker, I was just reading about what an amazing actor he is, when you think of the movies that he’s been in… French Connection, everybody remembers that! Wonderful, wonderful film! I had no idea he was 95! That’s really really sad,” she said.

While Star Trek legend George Takei also shared a moving note, writing: “We have lost one of the true giants of the screen. Gene Hackman could play anyone, and you could feel a whole life behind it. He could be everyone and no one, a towering presence or an everyday Joe. That’s how powerful an actor he was. He will be missed, but his work will live on forever.”

Journalist Piers Morgan shared the news of Gene’s death, and added: “What an incredibly sad end to a remarkable life. RIP.” Meanwhile, Shaun of the Dead co-writer and director Edgar Wright reposted an announcement about the actor, and simply wrote: “The greatest…”

Gene previously explained that his decision to retire was purely down to his health, with his doctor advising him to take a step back from his career.

In 2009, he told Empire: “The straw that broke the camel’s back was actually a stress test that I took in New York. The doctor advised me that my heart wasn’t in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress.”

During an older chat with CNN’s Larry King, he discussed having his angioplasty – where a person’s blocked coronary arteries are opened to allow more blood flow.

“I did, 12, 14 years ago, I had severe angina. So they did angioplasty,” he said, “I try to take care of myself. I don’t have a lot of fears. I have the normal fear of passing away. You know, I guess we all think about that, especially when you get to be a certain age. I want to make sure that my wife and my family are taken care of. Other than that, I don’t have a lot of fears.”

Gene was a huge animal lover alongside his wife, with his author bio describes the retired actor as sharing his Santa Fe home with his two German shepherds.

Animal Rescue Inc, the shelter which Gene and Betsy adopted their dog from, shared a birthday message to Gene on January 30 this year. In a Facebook post, the animal rescue shelter wrote: “Happy 94th birthday to our most famous adopter Gene Hackman !! While filming The Replacements in Baltimore in 1999, two stray dogs wandered onto the movie set. Both dogs were transported to us via limousine and the Hackmans came up the following week and adopted one of them.#adoptdontshop”.

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Source: Mirror