Gene Hackman and Wife Ruled Out for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, Investigation Continues

The Santa Fe Sheriff's Department has confirmed that **Gene Hackman**, the legendary Oscar-winning actor, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, tested negative for carbon monoxide. This update comes amidst an ongoing investigation into their deaths at their Santa Fe home. During a press conference, Sheriff Adan Mendoza revealed that the last recorded activity on Hackman's pacemaker was on February 17th. Authorities estimate that Hackman likely passed away approximately nine days before his body was discovered. "According to the pathologist, I think that is a very good assumption that that was his last day of life," Mendoza stated. Detectives are now meticulously analyzing cellphone data, calls, texts, and photos to reconstruct a timeline. "We're doing a timeline from the time of death and the autopsy and the results. We're going to start working our way backwards," Mendoza explained, indicating a reverse-engineering approach to the investigation. The couple was last photographed together on March 28, 2024, outside a seafood restaurant in Santa Fe, where they've resided since the 1980s. While they maintained a private life, their last public event was reportedly the 2003 Golden Globes where Hackman received the Cecil B. DeMille Award. A search warrant inventory revealed that investigators collected cellphones, medical records, a planner, thyroid medication, blood pressure medication, and Tylenol from their home. An orange prescription bottle, seemingly open with pills scattered nearby, was found near Arakawa, raising concerns that are being investigated. Sheriff Mendoza and Fire Chief Brian Moya suggested that the couple may have been deceased for "up to a couple of weeks" based on the condition of their bodies. The actor was 95. Autopsies have been completed, revealing no signs of external trauma, though toxicology tests are pending, which could take up to three months. Mendoza expressed confidence that "there is no foul play, just based on the lack of evidence," but emphasized that the investigation remains open. The bodies were discovered after a harrowing 911 call made by a maintenance worker, who frantically requested police assistance. Hackman's daughter, Leslie, told Fox News Digital that her father had been in "very good health" despite his age, regularly practicing yoga and Pilates. She remembered him fondly as a "genuinely good-hearted person." In the search warrant affidavit, officials noted that Arakawa's body showed signs of decomposition, including bloating and mummification. Hackman's body exhibited similar signs. Also, officials found several doors "unlocked at the residence."