New developments have emerged in the investigation into the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.
On February 26, the long married couple and one of their three dogs were discovered dead in their New Mexico home. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza has since revealed new details about key evidence in the case.
Arakawa was discovered lying on the bathroom floor, with a space heater nearby and an open bottle of prescription medication. Pills were reportedly scattered across the countertop, according to a search warrant affidavit obtained by NBC News on February 27. The medications retrieved from the home included an unspecified thyroid medication, Tylenol for pain relief, and Diltiazem, a blood pressure medication, per the outlet.
Using the warrant, investigators obtained records from MyQuest, an online portal for health lab results, along with a 2025 monthly planner and two green cellphones.
Earlier, Mendoza emphasized the importance of the pills in the ongoing investigation, describing them as a “something of concern.”
“That’s obviously very important evidence at the scene,” Mendoza explained on Today. “That information was collected [and] passed to the office of the medical investigator to help them make a determination. So we’re looking at that specifically and other medications that were possibly in the residence.”
A Toxicology Report for Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa Could Take Up to Three Months
The sheriff stated that completing a full toxicology report could take up to three months or possibly longer. However, he expressed hope that the results would arrive sooner rather than later.
Authorities have also officially ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning as the cause of death for the couple and their dog, according to Mendoza during a press conference on February 28. Both Hackman and Arakawa tested negative for the substance.
However, Mendoza noted that the investigation remains open to revisiting this possibility if further toxicology reports reveal new information.
The couple had been married since 1991. Hackman is survived by three children—Christopher, Elizabeth Jean, and Leslie Anne—from his previous marriage to Faye Maltese.