Gene Hackman mystery latest from shocking dog error to neighbour twist and gas horror

Hollywood A-lister Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s mysterious deaths are still being investigated by authorities.

On February 26, the two-time Oscar winners, 95, and 63, were found dead along with their 12-year-old dog, Zinna, at their secluded Santa Fe, New Mexico, home. Both bodies have since been found to be negative, despite initial suspicions that the couple had been poisoning themselves.

The nature of their deaths and the conclusion of the investigation’s seventh day are still a mystery. However, new details about Gene and Betsy’s ties to their neighbors and the time the actor was last seen alive have been revealed. The Mirror examines the most recent updates in this article…

Theoretically, there is a double death.

A chief medical examiner has since refuted the idea of a “comfortable suicide” that the couple had committed. According to James Gill, the chief medical examiner of Connecticut, it is “not likely” that the two committed suicide, revealing: “I’ve seen cases like that – typically they’re together in bed. I believe that’s less likely because they’re located in two different places.

According to him, “from the initial kind of circumstances, it seems like he may have collapsed — he has a history of heart disease.” He has a pacemaker. That is not unusual, then.”

Gill also refuted the theory that Gene might have perished if Betsy had died before him because the actor was not a patient and could still move around on his own. What time period does Gene’s death relate to his wife, Gill questioned. She passed away when? That, in my opinion, is a little bit more of a grey area.

Shocking dog error

After their owners passed away, the couple’s two surviving dogs are currently in “limbo.” Before the couple’s wills are read, German Shepherd Bear and Akita-shepherd mix Nikita can’t be rehomed. After being rescued from Gene and Betsy’s home, they are currently boarding at a dog boarding facility in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

They will remain there indefinitely until it is revealed what arrangements Hackman, if any, made for the dogs after his passing. If any of Hackman’s family members will adopt the dogs, or if they will be relocated to a new home, it is still to be seen.

Following the discovery that the case’s police made a significant error and initially misled authorities about the dog’s death, the statement comes. Bear was the deceased dog’s name, according to Cops, but it has since been reported that Bear is still alive and Zinna was the deceased dog’s owner. How the dog’s location was incorrect in the initial police report is unknown.

The dogs, who had been eluded for at least ten days, were discovered by police and called animal control. According to USA Today, Nikita was “skittish because of all the commotion,” while Bear, who was easily found close to Betsy’s body, was easily captured. The dog refused to cooperate when they tried to coax her. In the end, the backyard had to be a door trap for her overnight. After that, they were both boarding at a hotel.

Update on gas leaks

The mansion’s deaths were the result of a gas leak, according to Gene’s family, which has given the eerie name “shelter assassin.” However, it has been discovered that despite a “miniscule” leak, it was not enough to be regarded as fatal.

A local gas company claimed to have “investigated gas leaks and carbon monoxide” but “found no significant findings.”

One of the stove burners had a minuscule leak (0.33 gas in air, not a lethal amount),” according to a press release. The other four red tags involved a water heater and gas log lighter installation in three fireplaces and were not related to gas leaks or carbon monoxide. A “red tag” is a warning issued by inspectors when something violates or is unsafe. The item or piece of equipment cannot be used until the issue is resolved.

Admissions made by neighbors

Neighborhoods have been asked to share any information they may have about the couple following the initial investigation. Many people have come to the realization that they were only partially aware of the pair’s secret. Residents of a remote, gated community just outside of Santa Fe barely noticed them.

They have a gate, and we have a gate, according to James Everett, who has lived nearby for about five years. He wanted to be quiet, he didn’t want to be bothered, and I don’t blame him, according to Gary Chalker, a seasoned New Yorker.

Bud Hamilton, who had lived right next to them for almost 20 years, acknowledged that despite their proximity, they only had one meal a night with the Hackmans. Beau Theriot, who frequently visits his home in the area each year, said, “I know there’s some nice people up there, but I don’t know them.”

Pacemaker records

Gene’s pacemaker claims that he was still alive on February 17 and nine days before his wife’s body was discovered at their home. According to the police, Gene passed away while his pacemaker was experiencing its “last event.” This is a “reasonable assumption.”

Both people tested negative for carbon monoxide, according to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza at a press conference. The pacemaker of Mr. Hackman was the subject of an initial questioning. I was informed that a more thorough investigation would be carried out once it became clear that his most recent incident was on February 17, 2025.

The moment a pacemaker stops working, in the opinion of Dr. Philip Keen, a former chief medical examiner in Maricopa County, Arizona, may indicate a person’s death occasionally but not always. There would undoubtedly be an interruption at that point, he said later, and it might be the cause of the death. However, it’s not always because some people use pacemakers to enhance things, or to replace them.

Source: Mirror