An investigation is underway into the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, who were found dead at their home in Santa Fe, N.M., on Feb. 26.
Mr. Hackman’s body was found in a mud room, and Ms. Arakawa’s on the floor of a bathroom, according to a search warrant affidavit. A dead dog was discovered in a closet of the bathroom near Ms. Arakawa.
The Santa Fe County sheriff, Adan Mendoza, said on Friday that it appeared that “several days, possibly even up to a couple weeks” had passed since the couple had died. The last event recorded on Mr. Hackman’s pacemaker was on Feb. 17, the sheriff said at a news conference on Friday, adding that it was a “very good assumption” that he died that day.
The sheriff’s office, which is conducting the investigation, said in a statement on Thursday that “there were no apparent signs of foul play.” But in an interview on Friday morning with the “Today” show on NBC, Sheriff Mendoza said he was “not ruling that out.”
The Fire Department did not find signs of a carbon monoxide leak, according to the search warrant affidavit, and Mr. Hackman and Ms. Arakawa tested negative for carbon monoxide. Toxicology results were still pending, Sheriff Mendoza said.
Here’s what we know.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies were called to the home on Feb. 26 after a maintenance worker who had gone to the home to perform some work became concerned when no one answered the door.
An affidavit from a Santa Fe County detective described how deputies found the bodies of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, on Wednesday.
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