Gene Hackman ‘Likely Dead For 9 Days’ Before Body’s Discovery, Sheriff Says

Jacob BarkerMarch 1, 2025, 3:02 pmNews >

New data from actor Gene Hackman‘s pacemaker suggests that he likely died nine days before the discovery of his and wife Betsy Arakawa’s bodies in their New Mexico home, authorities claim. Police disclosed that both of the bodies were partially mummified when they were discovered.

Hackman’s pacemaker shows his “last event” recorded on Feb. 17, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said during a Friday news conference. “According to the pathologist, I think that is a perfect assumption, that that was his last day of life.”

Hackman, Arakawa and their dog were found dead earlier this week in circumstances officials call “suspicious enough” to warrant an investigation into the causes of death. Some of the items claimed in the investigation include two green cellular devices and three different medicines: a thyroid medication, Diltiazem and Tylenol, according to the inventory report released Friday as part of Santa Fe County court’s warrant affidavit.

Sheriff’s deputies also seized records from MyQuest, a medical diagnostics service, and a 2025 monthly planner.

The cause of death of Hackman and his wife remains unknown. The couple did not show any signs of external trauma, nor were they any signs of foul play. According to autopsies, there were also no signs of carbon monoxide poisoning or natural gas leak, Mendoza said Friday. The couple’s bodies were found in separate rooms in their secluded house, and scattered pills were found next to Arakawa. Investigators have not yet determined whether the couple died at the same time.

“It appears [to be] several days, possibly even up to a couple of weeks,” Mendoza told Today Show on Friday morning, noting that the pair had been dead likely for a more extended period. Investigators are working to create a timeline by analyzing the planner found at the home and cell phone data, including phone calls, text messages, events and photos.

“We’re doing a reverse timeline,” Mendoza said. “We’re doing a timeline from the time of death and the autopsy and the results, and we’re going to start working our way backward.”