Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s dog was shown guarding her body in police body camera footage posted by TMZ. The video was from the day their bodies were discovered.
Police entered Hackman and Arakawa’s Santa Fe home and began looking around for the couple.
They found Arakawa’s body first with one of their dogs next to her. They then found Hackman’s body. One of Hackman and Arakawa’s dogs, Zinnia, was also discovered deceased in a crate. Santa Fe County animal control said that Zinnia likely died of dehydration and starvation.
Hackman and Arakawa were found dead in their Santa Fe Home on February 26, 2025. Following the investigation, it was determined that Arakawa passed away around February 12, a week before Hackman died.
Gene Hackman’s Handyman Asks Cops To Keep Death Quiet
The body cam footage released by TMZ shows the interaction between Hackman’s handyman and the police who arrived for the wellness check. The handyman tells them he hasn’t heard from the couple in three weeks.
Because the couple kept a very private life, the handyman also asked the cops to keep everything as quiet as possible.
Gene Hackman And Betsy Arakawam’s Property Was A ‘Breeding Ground’
GettyIn a report obtained by TMZ on April 14, the New Mexico Department of Public Health found that there were dead rodents, droppings, and nests in eight buildings along the couple’s property. While the primary residence was deemed safe with no signs of rodent activity, it was discovered in three garages, two casitas, and three sheds on their property.
Arakawa’s cause of death was determined to be Hanta Pulmonary Syndrome, which is a respiratory illness caused by hantaviruses, which are viruses that are primarily transmitted by rodents.
As for Hackman, his cause of death had nothing to do with Hanta Pulmonary Syndrome. He passed away from heart disease with complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
Gene Hackman’s 2 Surviving Dogs Placed In ‘Loving Homes’
Bud Yorkin Productions/Getty ImagesHackman and his wife had three dogs together, and the two who survived have found “loving homes,” according to DailyMail.com. A German Shepherd named “Bear” and an Akita-shepherd mix named “Nikita” were placed in two separate homes the report specified.