Police videos released from start of investigation into Gene Hackman’s death
The bodies of the actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were discovered in their Santa Fe home on February 26.
Authorities have released more videos related to their investigation into the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa.
Friday’s release included images of agents returning to the couple’s Santa Fe home days after they were found to look for more evidence.
The bodies of Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were discovered on February 26 after maintenance and security workers called police.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office has been releasing redacted records on a rolling basis since a court order allowing them to be made public, as long as any images of the dead couple are obscured. More are expected.
The latest release includes more than three hours of police body camera video and builds on what has already been made public, including a lengthy investigative report, photos and hours of body camera and security video showing the initial police response.
The new videos show authorities interviewing workers and returning to the home to search for more evidence early on in the investigation before they knew how Hackman and Arakawa died.
One hour-long video shows detectives searching the home in early March for Arakawa’s laptop and any other clues. Representatives of her family let them inside the house and led them to the bathroom where her body was found.
In another video, a man who does pest control on the property is seen telling officers he has not seen Hackman in at least a month, but that it is normal not to see or talk to the couple during his monthly visits.
The last time he saw Hackman, he says, they waved to each other but did not speak.
“He was looking frail,” the worker said. “He was bent over with a cane. His hair was sort of wild.”
Authorities say Arakawa died of the rare hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rodent-borne disease which can cause a range of symptoms including flu-like illness, headaches, dizziness and severe respiratory distress. Hackman is believed to have died about a week later of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
One of the couple’s three dogs was also found dead in a crate near Arakawa’s body, while two other dogs were found alive.
A state veterinary lab attributed the dog’s death to dehydration and starvation.
