Gene Hackman arrives at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los … [+] Angeles, CA on January 19, 2003. Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images.
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One week actor Gene Hackman and his wife, concert pianist Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their home, many questions about their deaths remain unanswered. Adding to the mystery, USA Today reported that authorities initially misidentified the couple’s deceased dog during the investigation.
Officials initially reported that the couple’s German shepherd, Bear, was found deceased in their home. However, Bear is reportedly alive, along with their second dog, Nikita. It was actually the pair’s 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mix, Zinna, who had died, Joey Padilla confirmed to USA Today. Padilla is the owner of the Santa Fe Tails pet care facility, which is assisting with the surviving dogs’ care.
Padilla told the Associated Press via email that Zinna had a deep bond with Arakawa. He said that Zinna “was always attached to Betsy at the hip and it was a beautiful relationship” and “went from being a returned shelter dog to this incredible companion under Betsy’s hand.”
ForbesActor Gene Hackman And His Wife Found Dead With Pills Scattered Nearby, Police SayBy Siladitya RayZinna, who had previously trained in agility skills to compete at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, was found inside a closed crate in the home, according to Padilla. Investigators had initially recorded the discovery of a “deceased brown in color German Shepherd canine.”
Denise Womack-Avila, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office leading the investigation, told USA Today that investigators may have just misidentified the breed.
“Our deputies do not deal with canines on a daily basis and I cannot currently speak to the condition or state of the dog’s body upon discovery,” Womack-Avila said in a text message reply.
What We Know So Far About Gene Hackman And Betsy Arakawa’s Deaths
LOS ANGELES – 1986: Actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa pose for a portrait in 1986 in Los … [+] Angeles, California. (Photo by Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
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On Feb. 26, Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were discovered deceased in their home near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Hackman was found in what is believed to be the home’s mudroom, and according to the search warrant, he appeared to have fallen suddenly.
Arakawa was found in a bathroom near the front door, with an open orange prescription bottle and scattered pills visible on a nearby countertop, according to the warrant. Both bodies showed signs of advanced decomposition, including facial bloating and mummification of the hands and feet.
ForbesGene Hackman And Wife Tested Negative For Carbon Monoxide In Initial TestsBy Molly BohannonHackman’s pacemaker recorded its last activity on Feb. 17, nine days before the bodies were discovered. Carbon monoxide testing was conducted at the scene and found no evidence of a leak or issues with the pipes, according to the warrant. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed on Friday that there were no signs of blunt force trauma on their bodies.
The official autopsy and toxicology results are still pending. In the meantime, authorities are working to establish a timeline of events, including attempting to access cellphones for insight into the couple’s final days.
“We’ll be analyzing cell phone data — phone calls, text messages, events, photos in the cell phone — to try to piece a timeline together,” Mendoza said on Friday.
Stay tuned for more updates.
