Authorities released records related to the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, on Tuesday. This includes footage of police cameras from inside the house, photos of the scene, and a lengthy investigative report detailing some of Arakawa's final emails and internet searches.
Arakawa died of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in February. It is a rare rodent-borne disease that can cause a variety of symptoms, including flu-like illnesses, headaches, dizziness and severe respiratory dyspnoea, investigators said. Hackman is believed to have died of heart disease about a week after complications from Alzheimer's disease.
The partially mummified bodies of 95-year-old Hackman and 65-year-old Arakawa were found at their Santa Fe home on February 26th.
Photos, footage and other documents were released on April 15 after a recent court order mandated to portray the deceased couple required blocking them from view. Authorities said additional records, including footage from the dashboard camera, could be released at a later date.
The undated images provided by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office were taken during their investigation and during the search for the home of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa. The two were found in Santa Fe, New Mexico on February 27, 2025.
Santa Fe County Sheriff via the Associated Press
Edited Santa Fe police body camera footage showed investigators working inside the house as they tried to piece together what happened to the couple.
Investigators find one of the German shepherds in Arakawa guarding her body outside the bathroom door.
Officers said the dog “seems to be very friendly,” but another warned the officer that he “groaned” as the dog tried to approach the toilet.
The footage also showed officers who discovered the body of Jinna, an Australian kelpie who died in the crate. The dog had recovered from surgery on the gallbladder and spleen. According to a report from the Veterinary Lab, Jinna likely died of dehydration and starvation.
The officers then walked to the other side of the house, where Hackman was found dead.
“Two completely independent areas of the house,” the officer commented. “MHM, that's weird,” replied another.
The footage showed them passing through the rooms of their homes and finding no signs of normal or mandatory entry. Investigators can also count the money found around the house and see prescription medications at the bathroom counter as one of the bar dogs in the background.
Environmental assessments of the facility by state health workers have found rodent poop in three garages and two small guest homes, and live traps from the facility. There was no evidence of rodent activity in the house.
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A long research report shows that Arakawa's computer review is actively studying Covid-19-related medical conditions and flu-like symptoms between February 8th and February 12th. The search included questions about whether Covid-19 could cause dizziness and nosebleeds. She also ordered “breathing support” oxygen cans from Amazon.
“The data suggests that Betsy was actively studying conditions related to Covid-19 and flu-like symptoms in the days leading up to her death,” the report states.
In an email with massage therapist Katia Vanhorn on February 11th, Arakawa wrote:
Arakawa's search history also included questions about Concierge Medical Services in Santa Fe on the morning of February 12th. A review of her phone record by investigators showed that she lasted less than two minutes and had a call with the service who missed the return call late that afternoon.
Entertainment details more videos
Investigators reviewed the phone history of their home phones, along with voicemail and security footage from the store Arakawa visited on February 11th.
According to the New York Times, in a police interview with Hackman's two daughters, they didn't know how to operate their phones and were unable to send emails.
They said they knew Hackman had memory issues, Santa Fe County County report. According to the outlet, Joel Cano said.
“They recalled that on January 30, 2024, they had to remember three times that Gene was his birthday,” he wrote.
In a press release released on April 15th, Santa Fe County explained its decision to release public records regarding the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa.
“New Mexico's Public Records Inspection Act (IPRA) put the county in a difficult position,” explained county manager Gregory S. Schaffer. “On the one hand, we have a deep understanding of the need for family privacy during this painful time. On the other hand, the county is obliged to comply with the law and face potential litigation, damages and attorneys' fees under the IPRA if it withholds records.”
In March, a New Mexico court granted a temporary restraining order against the release of certain records related to the investigation of the death.
The order was in response to the request of Julia Peters, the representative of their real estate. She urged the court to record the case to protect the right to family privacy in grief under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
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Peters highlighted the shocking nature of photos and videos in the investigation and the potential for media adoption.
However, the county sought guidance from the court to “respect the core hopes of our families and protect our community from potential liability under the IPRA,” according to a press release.
“Our statutory and fiduciary responsibilities to taxpayers require us to find a compassionate and viable solution that respects both the requirements of public transparency and the dignity of grieving families,” said Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza.
In the press release, the County Commissioner Committee and the Santa Fe County Sheriff have extended their sincere appreciation to the first responders who have dealt with this catastrophic situation with extraordinary care and professionalism, particularly under intense media attention.
“We will express our sincere appreciation to the Hackman family at the time of their loss and fully respect the first Judicial District Court's provisional injunction,” the press release added.
The request to seal the records originally stated that the couple “put a great value on privacy and took positive vigilance measures,” and looked at the protection of privacy throughout their lifetimes, including after Hackman retired to Santa Fe.
“Individual representatives continue to maintain Hackman's privacy following his tragic death, and seek to support the family's constitutional rights to memories and desire to grieve for peace,” the document states.
On March 25, authorities released body camera footage from outside Hackman's home, talking to two maintenance workers who alerted authorities after officers arrived at the scene for the first time and discovered the body lying down through a window.
“Something is not right. Something is not right,” one of the workers told the video officer.
“My concern is the carbon monoxide issue,” the officer said after looking at the windows of the house.
Authorities quickly determined that there was no fatal leak and could further burn the mystery that caught the attention of the public.
“Then we continued walking and saw something lying there. Suddenly, both of them, their companions, that – sorry,” one of the maintenance workers fought back tears.
The Bodycam video also shared the moment when an officer called Hackman's daughter Elizabeth to share the heartbreaking news of her father's death.
“I'm really sorry for your loss,” the officer told Elizabeth.
Elizabeth demanded that the couple be cremated and buried with Arakawa by the deceased dog.
“If the dog was wearing a collar, could you save it for me?” Elizabeth asked.
In an earlier statement, Hackman's daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, and granddaughter Annie, said, “He was loved and praised by millions around the world for his incredible acting career, but for us he has always been a father and grandpa.
– Use files from Associated Press
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