Gene Hackman's Friend Has 'No Idea' What Could've Caused His, Wife Betsy's Deaths: 'More Mysterious All the Time' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa in 1994.Photo:Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty

Days after the legendary actor, 95, and his wife, 65, and their dogwere found dead in their New Mexico homeon Wednesday, Feb. 26, details about their death remain unclear — especially for those who were close to them.

At a press conference on Friday, Feb. 28, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Department said Hackman’s pacemaker was last operational on Feb. 17,suggesting that Hackman had been dead for nine daysbefore he and his wife’s bodies were found.

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Gene Hackman holds his Oscar at the 65th Academy Awards in Los Angeles.Steve Starr/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images

Family friend Barbara Lenihan tells PEOPLE that “Betsy was in perfect health” and “she was so fit.”

“Gene was 95, and for all I know it was prescription medicine. We do not know what happened. I know the media’s making a bunch out of it, but we have no idea,” says Lenihan. “I don’t know if it was carbon monoxide. They say no, but the door was open and they could have been there for a couple weeks.”

Gene Hackman & wife Betsy Arakawa during The 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards.Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage

Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage

During Friday’s press conference, police saidthe couple tested negative for carbon monoxide, causing it to be ruled out as the cause of the couple’s deaths. They said authorities are still awaiting autopsy and toxicology results.

Police saidArakawa’s body showed signs of “mummification,“leading to the belief that she had likely been dead for some time. Hackman’s body alsoshowed similar “obvious signs of death.”

Lenihan tells people that she and her husband, Daniel understood Hackman was “getting quite old,” making them try to “prepare ourselves for Gene’s [departure] but we are just stunned. We’re stunned about Betsy.”

Gene Hackman attends the Next House ESPN The Magazine party on February 4, 2005.Evan Agostini/Getty

Evan Agostini/Getty

She says that their death is “more mysterious all the time.”

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“We don’t have any answers, and we’re just dealing with the loss,” she adds.

source: people.com