A dead dog in a closet crate, a trail of peculiar nests across the estate, and a string of symptom searches days before the couple died. Newly released records reveal what was found at Gene Hackman’s home and what it all pointed to.

Following the deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, court-ordered disclosures began shedding light on what unfolded at their Santa Fe estate. The documents — consisting of police reports, environmental assessments, and legal filings — point to a complex investigation.

The case has since entered a legal phase, as efforts to shield certain records from media circulation continue. At the heart of the dispute is what was recorded, what should remain private, and how a secluded property in New Mexico became the focus of statewide scrutiny.

Court-Ordered Release of Records

Almost two months after their bodies were discovered, Santa Fe County

released redacted documents

related to the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa following an order from the First Judicial District Court.

The decision was made after public and media requests for information under the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA). County Manager Gregory S. Shaffer explained that the County sought judicial guidance to balance the family’s right to privacy with its legal obligations.

Sheriff Adan Mendoza also emphasized the importance of maintaining both public transparency and the dignity of the family involved. Redacted content included images of the bodies and sensitive footage.

Other materials, such as environmental reports and police body cam video, were cleared for release. Among the first documents to be reviewed were those detailing the discovery of the bodies inside the home.

The Initial Response: Discovery of the Bodies

Authorities were first called to Hackman and Arakawa’s Santa Fe estate in late February.

Inside the home

, deputies found Arakawa deceased in the bathroom. Just five feet away, the couple’s German shepherd sat motionless beside her. One deputy

remarked

, “Poor guy, he’s sad,” as the dog refused to move from its position.

The house was cluttered with clothing, documents, and personal belongings. In a walk-in closet nearby, officers discovered a pet crate containing the body of Zinna, a 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mix. Deputies continued through the home to the mud room, where they found Hackman’s body.

An investigator reported that his extremities were red and purple, his mouth was open, and a pair of black sunglasses lay on the ground to his left. To his right was a black walking cane. “It appeared as if the male suddenly collapsed,” the investigator

noted

.

Officers also reported a strong odor in the home and opened windows and doors for ventilation. One deputy

commented

, “It smells like gas.” In the days that followed, authorities launched a comprehensive investigation into the shocking deaths.

Rodent Activity and Health Risk Assessment

On March 5, health officials from the New Mexico Department of Health conducted an environmental assessment at the Hackman property.

The inspection

focused on eight detached structures: three garages, two casitas, and three storage sheds.

Inside, investigators found signs of extensive rodent activity, including feces, live and dead rodents, and multiple nests. Two vehicles parked on the property also showed evidence of infestation. One contained a live rodent and visible droppings.

The other had a rodent nest inside. Investigators noted that live traps had been set in several of the outbuildings, indicating an ongoing problem prior to their arrival. Despite the conditions in the surrounding buildings, the primary residence was classified as low risk.

No rodent activity was detected inside the main house. A separate risk assessment was conducted to evaluate the potential exposure to first responders and family members who had entered the property.

While the health inspection addressed environmental risks, a digital records review soon revealed new information about the days leading up to the couple’s deaths.

The Online Searches and Health Concerns

In the week leading up to her death, Arakawa

searched the internet

for information related to flu-like symptoms. Between February 8 and the morning of February 12, her online activity included queries about dizziness, nosebleeds, and the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

She also looked into the use of Boost Oxygen canisters and whether COVID-19 could cause specific symptoms. On February 11, Arakawa emailed her masseuse to cancel a scheduled appointment. She wrote that Hackman had woken up with cold or flu-like symptoms, though his COVID-19 test result was negative.

She noted

that she was rescheduling “out of an abundance of caution.” Investigators also reviewed Arakawa’s phone records. On February 12, she placed a call to Cloudberry Health, a concierge medical service.

She missed a return call from the provider later that same day. These details would later support the medical findings that followed, identifying a specific cause behind her death.

Cause of Death Confirmed

Arakawa’s death was officially linked to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a rare but

often fatal illness

caused by exposure to rodent urine, droppings, or saliva. Health officials confirmed that the conditions found in the outbuildings on the property matched known transmission environments for the virus.

The disease, which can develop after inhaling airborne particles in enclosed areas contaminated by rodents, explained the symptoms Arakawa had been researching before her death. Hackman seemingly also experienced similar signs of illness.

Documents reviewed by authorities indicated that the virus was likely contracted while she was on the property. The health department’s risk assessment confirmed that others who entered the home, including family members and emergency personnel, were not at risk.

Zinna, the couple’s 12-year-old Kelpie mix found inside the closet crate, died from starvation and dehydration, according to a necropsy report. Soon after some of these records became public, legal efforts were made to block additional material from release.

Body Cam Footage and Yoshie Feaster’s Legal Objection

Following the release of initial records, Arakawa’s mother,

Yoshie Feaster

, filed a

legal petition

to block the publication of further materials, including police body cam footage and autopsy photos. She argued that releasing such content would cause unnecessary trauma and violate her family’s right to grieve privately.

She argued that her daughter and son-in-law valued privacy and had not wanted their personal lives made public. Feaster’s filing

stated

, “I have a constitutional right to avoid seeing images of my daughter’s home, her dead body, her husband’s dead body, and their dog’s corpse.”

She also requested that images showing the couple’s living spaces, deceased bodies, and the body of their dog not be released. Though police had already released exterior footage — including video taken outside the home and conversations with a groundskeeper and one of Hackman’s children — footage from inside remained the subject of dispute.

Media organizations, including CBS and the Associated Press, were granted motions to intervene, supporting broader public access. The court ruled that while redacted documents could be released, images of the bodies must remain sealed.

In mid-April 2025, weeks after Feaster’s filing, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office released an 11-minute body cam video from inside the home. Arakawa’s body was blurred in the footage, which also showed toiletries on the bathroom counter. Around the same time, close family members of the deceased couple gathered to say their final goodbyes.

Private Memorial and County Response

A

private memorial

for Hackman and Arakawa was held in Santa Fe. The service was attended by Hackman’s three children — Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie. No additional details about the gathering were made public, in keeping with the couple’s long-standing preference for privacy.

In a bulletin issued that same day, Santa Fe County reaffirmed its intent to comply with the preliminary injunction issued by the court. Officials thanked first responders for their professionalism and expressed condolences to the Hackman family.

Sheriff Mendoza again underscored the importance of dignity and transparency in handling the case. With both the memorial and records release complete, the investigation’s details now stand as public record.

As we had previously reported,

Hackman lived far from the public eye, spending his later years in the Santa Fe home he painstakingly redesigned. The sprawling property, surrounded by miles of open land, was meant to be a peaceful retreat.

But it became the center of an investigation after a maintenance worker made a grim discovery. Before the Hollywood legend and his wife, Arakawa, were found dead inside their Santa Fe home, along with one of their dogs, they had lived in the secluded residence for years, away from the public eye.

The Discovery of Hackman and His Wife’s Demise

On February 26, 2025, in the afternoon, a maintenance technician arrived at Hackman’s Santa Fe home for routine work. As he approached the house, he noticed the front door was open. Looking through a window, he saw a woman lying on the floor inside.

Unable to enter the locked house,

he called 911

and reported what he had seen. When authorities arrived, they found Hackman, 95, lying in the entryway and his wife, Arakawa, 65, in the bathroom. A space heater was next to Arakawa’s head, and a cane was near Hackman’s body.

In a bathroom closet, officers discovered the couple’s German shepherd dead inside a kennel. Two other dogs were found alive — one inside the house and one outside. Investigators reported no signs of forced entry, struggle, or missing belongings.

Sheriff Mendoza

stated

, “There was no indication of a struggle. There was no indication of anything that was missing from the home or disturbed, you know, that would be indication that there was a crime that had occurred.”

The New Mexico Gas Co. inspected the home’s gas lines but found no leaks. The Fire Department also tested for carbon monoxide exposure and reported no evidence of poisoning.

The search warrant affidavit suggested investigators considered gas poisoning as a potential cause, though no conclusions were made at the time, except that

no foul play

was suspected. Now, officials have determined what most likely happened during the couple’s final days.

A Tragic Isolation

In the days leading up to their deaths, Hackman and Arakawa were living in seclusion, a choice they had made long before, but one that ultimately contributed to


their tragic end


.

Arakawa had become Hackman’s full-time caregiver in recent years as he battled Alzheimer’s disease. She handled errands, ensured he remained physically active, and protected him from illness.

Her devotion was evident in every aspect of their lives, but when she suddenly fell ill, no one was there to help either of them. Authorities revealed in


a press conference


on March 7, 2025, that Arakawa succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Surveillance footage from February 11 captured her making her usual stops—Sprouts Farmers Market, a CVS pharmacy, and a pet food store—before driving home at 5:15 p.m. After that, she was never seen or heard from again.

Investigators found that her emails and phone messages stopped that same evening, leading them to believe she passed away that night.

Hackman, unaware of her death due to his advanced Alzheimer’s, likely wandered their home for days, unable to seek help. His pacemaker recorded its final reading on February 18, indicating he died nearly a week after his wife.

Dr. Heather Jarrell, New Mexico’s chief medical examiner, stated that the actor’s cause of death was heart disease, worsened by his underlying condition.

“There was no food in his stomach, which means he had not eaten recently,” she


confirmed


. Despite this, his body showed no signs of dehydration, suggesting he may have survived on small amounts of water.

Hackman’s Life in Santa Fe

Hackman spent his later years far from the Hollywood spotlight. After a career spanning five decades, he retired in 2004 at the age of 74, leaving acting behind. His departure was as understated as his career was illustrious.

There was no fanfare, no press release, and no public announcement heralding his exit from acting. Instead, the “Superman” star opted for a quiet withdrawal into private life alongside his wife. His decision to retire wasn’t precipitated by industry shenanigans or a dwindling passion for the craft.

“I was getting great offers, but the roles were mostly doddering great-grandfathers,” he


said


. Rather, it was a matter of health and personal well-being. Reflecting on the turning point, Hackman shared a moment that led to his retirement decision.

“The straw that broke the camel’s back was actually a stress test that I took in New York,” Hackman


revealed


. “The doctor advised me that my heart wasn’t in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress.” Taking their warnings seriously, he never returned to acting.

In Santa Fe, he embraced a quiet and private lifestyle with his wife, Arakawa. The couple kept a low profile, avoiding public appearances and interviews. Hackman spent his days focused on personal interests, including writing novels and working on his home.

In 2020, a source shared that despite his age,

he remained active

— riding his bike, doing yard work, and taking on handyman projects. The home where he spent his final years was one he had extensively remodeled to match his vision.

Inside the Santa Fe Home Hackman Remodeled

Hackman’s Santa Fe home sits on 12 acres of open land, offering sweeping views that stretch as far as the Colorado mountains. Drawn to the area after filming several movies there, he purchased the property and took on extensive renovations to reshape it to his liking.

Architect Stephen Samuelson, who worked on the project, recalled the state of the house before the remodel. “The house was horrible,” he

shared

. “It was a 1950s block building that had sat empty and had deteriorated.”

Hackman and Arakawa wanted an open design with high ceilings, French doors, and natural light—features not typical of traditional adobe homes. To achieve this, they removed 90 percent of the roof and restructured the interior to create larger spaces.

The house’s final design blended pueblo, colonial New Mexico, and Spanish Baroque styles. “It’s more primitive, like a barn converted into a house, massive and cozy at the same time,” Samuelson

said

.

Hackman personally oversaw every detail of the renovation, selecting finishes, mixing paint colors himself, and ensuring that new ceiling beams were distressed to look aged.

The couple furnished the home with pieces from New York, Germany, and Los Angeles. Even in retirement, he stayed active, spending much of his time maintaining and improving the home.

Hackman and Arakawa’s Life Together

Even as Hackman focused on transforming his Santa Fe home, he wasn’t the only one invested in creating a life there. His wife, Arakawa, played an active role in shaping the space they shared for more than three decades.

Hackman and Arakawa first met in the early 1980s at a fitness center in Los Angeles, where Arakawa worked part-time. At the time, Hackman was still married to his first wife, Faye Maltese, though their marriage was coming to an end.

By 1984, he and Arakawa had started dating, and she moved into his Santa Fe home before his divorce was finalized. Hackman and Maltese’s divorce was finalized in 1986 after 30 years of marriage. Hackman and Arakawa continued

their relationship

and married in 1991.

Though they never had children together, Hackman remained close to his three children from his first marriage—Leslie Anne, Elizabeth Jean, and Christopher Allen. The couple spent more than three decades together in Santa Fe.

Arakawa was deeply involved in Hackman’s home renovations and often managed aspects of the project when he was away. They kept out of the public eye, focusing on their life together away from Hollywood.

Hackman’s Legacy in Film and Literature

While Hackman spent his later years in privacy, his decades-long career in Hollywood left a lasting mark. Before retiring, he had become one of the most respected actors of his generation, known for his ability to bring complex characters to life.

His breakthrough came in 1967 with “Bonnie and Clyde,” and he went on to star in

critically acclaimed films

such as “Hoosiers” and “Superman.” He won two Academy Awards—Best Actor for “The French Connection” (1971) and Best Supporting Actor for “Unforgiven” (1992)—along with four Golden Globes.

His final Hollywood project was “Welcome to Mooseport” in 2004. During

his career

, which lasted over four decades, he starred in over 90 films and TV shows. In retirement, he wrote and published several novels, including historical fiction and thrillers.

Although he stayed out of the public eye, his work in film and literature left a lasting impact, solidifying his place as one of the greatest actors of his time.

Hackman’s Last Public Appearance and Fans’ Reactions

Hackman’s public

appearances after retiring

were rare, making his final sighting in March 2024 all the more notable. At 94 years old, he was seen out with Arakawa, marking one of their few public outings together in over two decades.

Dressed in a plaid button-down shirt layered beneath a gray vest, Hackman completed his look with green-gray cargo pants, a cap, and shades. Though still mobile, he used a cane for support in one hand, while Arakawa assisted him on the other.

His frail appearance sparked strong reactions from fans, with many expressing shock at how much he had changed.

“Sad in a way to see him aged,”

one person

commented

, while others

noted

,

“That doesn’t look like him one bit,”

and

“That looks nothing like #genehackman.”

Another

wrote

,

“I love him… never would’ve recognized him though.”

A particular

comment

highlighted his fragile state,

“It looks like the wind could take him away.”

Others, however, viewed his appearance more positively, focusing on his resilience.

“He’s walking, he’s being supported by his wife, he’s shopping, he’s 94 and still around. That’s a win,”

one fan

pointed out

. Another

commented

,

“Didn’t even recognise him, I suppose he’s doing good for his 90s.”

Some expressed gratitude for simply seeing him again.

“Wow, haven’t seen him in a long time but thank goodness he’s still living,”

one person

wrote

. Another

added

,

“Hope I’m as mobile as him if I get to that age,”

while a final comment summed up the admiration,

saying

,

“Bless his heart at 94 years old.”

Now that authorities have determined his cause of death, everyone who loved him and his wife can take a moment to reflect. However, one thing is clear: his impact — both on screen and in the lives of those who admired him — remains undeniable.