etails from a search warrant into Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s home have been revealed in an affidavit as investigators are treating the deaths as ‘suspicious enough’ to investigate further.
Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, were found dead in two separate rooms in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home on Wednesday (February 26) this week.
While the sheriff’s office said it did not suspect foul play, having found no signs of ‘external trauma’ on their bodies, they haven’t yet completely ruled it out.
An affidavit for a search warrant has further indicated the scene to be ‘suspicious enough’ to warrant further investigation.
An affidavit has revealed some details about their deaths (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Among the apparent suspicious setting, a statement of facts from the scene reveals just one of the couple’s three dogs was found dead on the premises with the other two reportedly ‘healthy’.
Meanwhile, the front door to their home was unlocked and ‘ajar’, as discovered by maintenance workers, and initial tests have shown ‘no signs’ of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning.
The document shows cops found Betsy’s body on the bathroom floor next to a space heater, which they note could’ve ‘fallen in the event [she] abruptly fell to the ground’.
Around 10 to 15 feet away from her, the deceased German shepherd was found in the closet of the bathroom.
A bottle of opened prescription pills were also scattered on the counter near her partially ‘mummified’ body.
The veteran multi-award winning Hollywood actor was also found on the floor in another room of the property, in the mud-room by a walking cane and sunglasses.
Observations from the scene as recorded by the cops indicate both Gene and Betsy might have ‘suddenly fallen.’
Investigators say the scene is ‘suspicious enough’ to warrant a thorough investigation (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Among a list of 17 key items to be seized include identifying documents relating to Gene and Betsy, cellphones, cameras, clothing, any ‘weapons, tools and/or instruments capable of causing sharp force trauma to the human body’, biological fluids like DNA and any ‘ignitable, flammable, explosive and/or combustible substances.’
Firefighters from the Santa Fe City Fire Department said they ‘did not’ find signs of carbon monoxide leak or poisoning, nor did the New Mexico Gas Company which tested the gas line in and around the residence.
The affidavit notes: “At this time; the manner and cause of death pertaining to Eugene “Gene” Allen Hackman and Betsy Arakawa passing is unknown.
The Hollywood veteran was discovered dead on the floor of his Santa Fe home this week (Robert Mora/Getty Images)
“Affiant believes that the circumstances surrounding the death of the two deceased individuals to be suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation because the reporting party found the front door of the residence unsecured and opened, deputies observed a healthy dog running loose on the property, another healthy dog near the deceased female, a deceased dog laying 10-15 feet from the deceased female in a closet of the bathroom, the heater being moved, the pill bottle being opened and pills scattered next to the female, the male decedent being located in a separate room of the residence, and no obvious signs of a gas leak.”
Sheriff Adan Mendoza also told reporters on Thursday (February 27) that investigators are ‘keeping everything on the table’ and said they believed the couple had been dead ‘a while.’
Gene, considered one of Hollywood’s greats, and Betsy, a classical pianist, tied the knot in 1991.
Devastated fans have dubbed the deaths as the ‘end of an era’, leaving a legacy in both cinema and music.
Gene’s family have also spoken out about their heartbreak and said they believed their loved ones died from carbon monoxide poisoning.