Gene Hackman, wife Betsy Arakawa death investigation reveals gas, carbon monoxide results

As the investigation into the causes of decease for Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa continues, the anticipation of a state leak wrong their location appears to beryllium conclusively ruled out.

On Tuesday, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office issued an update based connected the New Mexico Gas Company's "extensive probe for state leaks and c monoxide astatine Gene Hackman's home," which was conducted the evening of Feb. 26.

"There were nary important findings. NMGC did contented 5 (5) reddish tags. One reddish tag was for a minuscule leak (0.33% state successful aerial – not a lethal amount) astatine 1 of the stove burners," the quality merchandise states. "The different 4 reddish tags were for codification enforcement violations -not involving state leaks oregon c monoxide – involving a h2o heater and state log lighters installed successful 3 fireplaces."

These results "are not believed to beryllium a origin successful the deaths of Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa oregon their dog," the sheriff's bureau noted.

Nevertheless, the findings were sent to the Office of the Medical Investigator "for consideration."

Santa Fe authorities antecedently ruled retired c monoxide poisoning

In a property conference past week, the sheriff's section ruled retired c monoxide poisoning arsenic a imaginable origin of decease for the couple, revealing that tests came backmost negative.

Hackman and Arakawa were recovered dormant alongside their canine by vicinity information officials successful their Santa Fe, New Mexico, location connected Feb. 26. Hackman's pacemaker revealed "his past lawsuit was recorded connected Feb. 17, 2025," the sheriff's bureau said successful a property league connected Friday, adding that it was "a precise bully assumption" to reason that was Hackman's "last time of life," much than a week earlier helium was found.

As Hollywood shared condolences and memories of the Oscar-winning actor, troubling details began to look surrounding the couple's deaths.

According to a hunt warrant affidavit, authorities recovered the histrion successful a mudroom adjacent his cane, appearing to person fallen, portion his woman Arakawa was recovered successful an unfastened bath adjacent a abstraction heater, with an unfastened medicine vessel and pills scattered connected the adjacent countertop. A lawman observed Arakawa with "body decomposition, bloating successful her face" and mummification of her hands and feet.

One of the couple's dogs was besides recovered dormant little than 15 feet from Arakawa successful a closet, portion 2 different dogs were recovered live successful the bath adjacent Arakawa and outside. Authorities person called the circumstances "suspicious," portion noting "no foul play" is suspected astatine this time.

Contributing: Anna Kaufman, Taijuan Moorman, USA TODAY

This nonfiction primitively appeared connected USA TODAY: Gene Hackman decease probe reveals gas, c monoxide results