Re: Gene Hackman, wife and dog found dead in their home in New Mexico

Robin Miller <robin.miller@invalid.invalid> wrote:

Adam H. Kerman wrote:

Ian J. Ball <ijball@mac.invalid> wrote:

. . .

[Gene Hackman]

I do wish he hadn't totally retired, but it's likely best for his legacy
that he did.

He didn't retire. I recall an interview he gave several years after his
final movie in which he complained he wasn't being offered any scripts.
It's not like he was unwilling to play supporting roles, which he had
done throughout his long career.

More like he wasn't working due to circumstances.

Deadline says he retired for health reasons after being advised to do so
by his doctor.

I wonder if the doctor was wrong about medical necessity given his long
life.

But here are some startling new developments:

"Suspicious Enough": Gene Hackman & Wife's Deaths Probed By Cops;
Scattered Pills Found, No Gas Leak

https://deadline.com/2025/02/gene-hackman-death-suspicious-police-1236303855/

Gene Hackman's death has raised enough suspicion among the Santa Fe
police that they have obtained a search warrant for the Oscar winner's
home after the nonagenarian, his wife Betsy Arakawa and one of their
dogs were found dead last night.

Two men who worked on Hackman's property reported the decomposed bodies
in the home on Wednesday. The 30-year long married couple had not been
seen for a few weeks, sources say.

There are no indications of a home invasion or anything like that,
sources tell me, but the cops do believe more is going on than first
assumed. . . .

"Affiant believes that the circumstances surrounding the death of the
two deceased individuals to be suspicious enough in nature to require a
thorough search and investigation because the reporting party found the
front door of the residence unsecured and opened, deputies observed a
healthy dog running loose on the property, another healthy dog near the
deceased female, a deceased dog laying 10-15 feet from the deceased
female in a closet of the bathroom, the heater being moved, the pill
bottle being opened and pills scattered next to the female, the male
decedent being located in a separate room of the residence, and no
obvious signs of a gas leak," the document adds.

From the search warrant application:

https://deadline.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/hackman-affidavit.pdf

Deputy Thomas advised the female decedent showed obvious signs of
death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mumification
in both hands and feet.

I don't see how she could mummify her own hands.