More details have emerged regarding the deaths of Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and one of their dogs.
Meanwhile, one of the two surviving dogs displayed its loyalty and intelligence by leading officials to where Hackman’s body was after they were initially unable to find him.
USA Today reported that the Santa Fe, New Mexico, Sheriff’s Office released new details regarding the final hours of Arakawa, 65, who is believed to have died on Feb. 11 from a hantavirus infection, a flu-like sickness she likely contracted from mouse droppings.
Hackman, 95, suffering from severe heart disease and Alzheimer’s, managed to survive a week on his own, dying on Feb. 18, authorities believe. The Academy Award-winning actor had stayed hydrated, but an autopsy found no food in his stomach.
Arakawa had been captured on security footage on the afternoon of Feb. 11 visiting Sprouts Farmers Market and CVS Pharmacy in Santa Fe. She was wearing a mask when she entered the pharmacy. She arrived home about 5:15 p.m. and used a remote to open the gate at the Santa Fe Summit community where she and Hackman lived. There were no texts or emails from her devices after that date.
On Feb. 26, a maintenance man saw Arakawa through a window, lying on the floor inside her home with the front door ajar, so he called 9-1-1.
“Paramedics with the Santa Fe Fire Department arrived at the scene, pushed open the front door and saw Arakawa lying on the nearby bathroom floor, Chief Brian Moya said. She looked deceased, so they retreated back outside and radioed the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office for backup, as per protocol,” according to USA Today.
“Backed by several sheriff’s deputies, the two paramedics and three other Santa Fe firefighters inspected Arakawa’s body, which had noticeable signs of decomposition,” the outlet added.
The first responders then fanned out throughout the 9,000-square-foot home and after 30 minutes had not located Hackman.
Are you satisfied with the explanation for Hackman’s death?
Moya recounted that as the team searched, one of the couple’s dogs kept running up to them, barking and running off in a different direction.
At first, they did not understand that the dog wanted them to follow him.
“They realized (the dog) was trying to say, ‘Hey, come over here! Come over here!’” Moya said.
USA Today reported, “The dog led them to a mudroom in the far end of the home, next to the kitchen. It then sat next to the body of Hackman, who was crumpled on the floor. Sunglasses and a cane laid nearby. His hands were blackened and showed signs of decomposition, Moya said. A back door was propped open, allowing the dogs to go in and out of the home.”
Based on earlier accounts, the dog that led first responders to the mud room may have been their German shepherd named Bear.
Joey Padilla, owner of the Santa Fe Tails pet care facility, had been called to the scene to retrieve the two surviving dogs, Bear and Nikita, an Akita-shepherd mix.
When Padilla arrived, he found Bear 10 to 12 feet from Arakawa’s body while Nikita was running around the backyard.
Authorities found the couple’s third dog — 12-year-old Zinna, a Kelpie mix — deceased in a closed crate near Arakawa. The dog had just had “major surgery” and was being kept in the crate to prevent her from running around and undoing the effect of the surgery, said Robert Gruda, owner of Gruda Veterinary Hospital in Santa Fe, where the dog had been treated.
Gruda also revealed that Zinna was short for Zinfandel, Hackman’s favorite wine.
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