The sudden passing of Gene Hackman and his wife took the world by storm, and although a cause of death has not been confirmed, the daughter of the beloved actor stated the two may have died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
After authorities confirmed the couple and their dog had been lifeless for at least a day before their bodies were found, Elizabeth Jean Hackman told TMZ that the family suspects they were victims of toxic fumes in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Highlights
- Gene Hackman's daughter suspects carbon monoxide poisoning may have caused his and his wife's death.
- Authorities found no foul play signs but continue to investigate the couple's death.
- Dr. Michael Baden said that their deaths were typical of carbon monoxide poisoning, which are usually painless and silent.
The daughter of Gene Hackman reveals carbon monoxide poisoning may have been the cause of her father and his wife's passing on February 26
Image credits: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images
And while law enforcement has found no signs of foul play, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told the outlet that his deputies haven’t ruled out that possibility and are actively investigating the case.
“All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant,” he shared.
There is currently no information on whether there were any reported gas leaks or calls regarding the couple’s address, but forensic expert and Fox News contributor Dr. Michael Baden said their deaths were “typical” for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Image credits: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images
“When a car motor engine is left on… and it isn’t properly turned off, carbon monoxide comes out of the exhaust and goes into the house. Dogs, or any other type of animal, and humans die,” he said this morning.
“They don’t feel any type of pain, they don’t know anything’s wrong. It’s silent. Carbon monoxide is painless, and they just go to sleep.”
Baden added that a boiler malfunction may have also been to blame.
A forensic expert revealed details on how "painless" a carbon monoxide leak would have been
Image credits: Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images
Earlier on, the couple's deaths were seen as "suspicious," as labeled by one of the detectives on the scene.
He believed "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."
Image credits: Animal Rescue, Inc.
Reports say Arakawa had been found in the bathroom on the ground near the countertop, lying on her side. The deputy saw a black space heater near her head and suspected it may have fallen if Arakwa fell unconscious.
There had also been an orange prescription bottle on the countertop, with pills scattered all over its surface.
On the other hand, Hackman was found in a separate room off the kitchen with his sunglasses next to his body.
Hackman's career spanned a whopping six decades, having become an Oscar winner due to his role in The French Connection
Image credits: Animal Rescue, Inc.
The Hollywood legend and two-time Oscar winner was 95 years old at the time of his passing, and his wife Betsy Arakawa was 63. Their bodies were found during a welfare check performed by deputies at around 1:45pm on Wednesday, February 26.
It’s no surprise that Hackman was a respected figure in the world of film, as his career spanned a whopping six decades. During this time, he won an Academy Award for Best Actor due to his role as Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in the 1971 thriller The French Connection, as well as Best Supporting Actor for Unforgiven, which came out in 1992.
Image credits: Disney+
Hackman leaves behind three children, whom he shared with his first wife, Faye Maltese. He later married Arakawa in 1991.
As seen in Architectural Digest, the two shared a gorgeous modern home situated in the Santa Fe community, north of the New Mexico cultural hub, featuring a stunning view of the Colorado mountains.
They were allegedly active members of the community, as well.
Others weighed on the validity of the theory
