Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa likely died within a "similar timeframe," Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya says

The cause of death for Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and one of their pets seemed to have become a mystery. It has almost been a week since their bodies were recovered from their Santa Fe home on February 26, 2025.

Fire Chief Brian Moya, on March 5, 2025, theorized that the couple could have died during the same time. Speaking to Fox News, he said:

“Just because both bodies were in similar ways where we, as experts, sad to say that we know a lot about how people die and how long people are dead for, both bodies are in a similar manner that it could be a similar timeframe.”

Moya stated that the Fire Department worked on the investigation till February 27, 2025, after which the case was turned over to the Sheriff's Department. Fire officials inspected all residences for gas leaks, and Sheriff Adan Mendoza later confirmed that Gene Hackman and Arakawa tested negative for carbon monoxide.

Meanwhile, the New Mexico Gas Company conducted an extensive investigation of Gene Hackman's place but found no significant clue. They found a non-lethal minuscule leak on one of the burners, which released 0.33% gas into the air.

During a press conference, Mendoza reported that the last recorded activity from Gene Hackman’s pacemaker was on February 17, 2025. Authorities believe this was likely the day he passed away, as his body was not discovered until nine days later.

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Gene Hackman’s body reportedly showed signs of decomposition

Detectives found two cell phones, a yearly planner, and a prescription bottle during initial searches. Officials also disclosed that Arakawa’s body showed signs of decomposition, including facial bloating and mummification in her hands and feet.

Fox News mentioned that the dog's body was discovered in the bathroom closet. Gene Hackman’s body exhibited decomposition signs, similar to the ones found on Arakawa’s body.

Mendoza spoke to Today on February 28, 2025, and he was asked about the status of the house's front door. He said:

“The information that I gathered from the investigators was there were several doors that were unlocked at the residence so I believe the front door was closed but unlocked, unsecured. There was one door that was ajar and that was towards the rear of the residence that two of the dogs survived were coming in and out of the residence so you know.”

He added:

“There is a little bit of conflicting stories and based on emergency response and things, we are not sure if that door was open upon the arrival of the emergency personnel or if that, you know, if it was open upon entry of emergency personnel.”

Upon arriving at the scene, Moya said the paramedics didn’t perform any life-saving measures on the deceased. There was an obvious sign of death.

Despite that, authorities don't suspect foul play in the case but clarified that the investigation was still ongoing. Inspectors placed five safety notices and red tags around the property to indicate code violations. While one tag was related to the gas leak, the other four addressed issues unrelated to gas leaks or carbon monoxide.