Caretaker Repeatedly Cried 'Damn' on Harrowing 911 Call After Finding Gene Hackman and Wife Dead

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo:Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty

A 911 call made after a caretaker discovered the bodies ofGene Hackmanand his wife,Betsy Arakawa, captures the caller frantically requesting help, repeatedly saying “damn” while appearing to cry, according toTMZ.

The unidentified male caller told dispatchers he had found what appeared to be two dead bodies and urged them to send assistance right away, the outlet reports. He also stated that the couple wasn’t moving.

The man was reportedly outside the house with no way to access the inside. He reportedly told the dispatcher he didn’t know the deceased parties’ ages or genders.

The 911 call surfaced shortly after anaffidavitfor a search warrant was made public, in which a Santa Fe police detective said the deaths of the pair seemed “suspicious.” The detective said pills were scattered near Arakawa’s body; the door was open and there was “no obvious sign of a gas leak.” (TMZ was the first to reporton the affidavit.)

Arakawa was found lying on her side in a bathroom, with a space heater near her body. A deceased German Shepherd was found about 10 to 15 feet from Arakawa, per the outlet, while two other healthy dogs were also found on the property.

Arakawa may have been dead for a while, the affidavit states, as it allegedly appeared that “the body was in a state of decomposition with bloating in her face and mummification in her hands and feet.”

Hackman, meanwhile, was “fully clothed” with his sunglasses found near his body, indicating that he may have fallen down.

According to the affidavit, the “fire department came and advised they did not see any signs of carbon monoxide leak or poisoning." The local gas company also did not find evidence pointing toward a problem with a gas leak or pipe issue.

The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed early on Thursday, Feb. 27 that Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner, and Arakawa, a classical pianist, were found dead in their Santa Fe compound, along with one of their dogs.

A spokesperson from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office previously told PEOPLE that foul play was not suspected and the couple’s causes of death had yet to be determined. The sheriff’s Office also told NBC that an investigation was ongoing.

The bodies of Hackman and Arakawa were not formally identified until 12:30 a.m. on Thursday. The sheriff’s Office told local station KOB 4 that a neighbor called police for a welfare check, leading to the discovery of their bodies.

PEOPLE has reached out to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office for further information.

source: people.com