ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Investigations have indicated that dehydration and starvation likely led to the death of the dog found alongside actor Gene Hackman and his wife in their Santa Fe residence. A veterinary lab report from the state Department of Agriculture, obtained recently, detailed that the dog showed partial mummification and severe decomposition. This condition potentially obscured any changes in the organs, yet there was no evidence of infectious disease, trauma, or poison being the cause of death.
Zinna, a kelpie mix and one of three dogs owned by the couple, was found dead, lying in a crate within a bathroom closet close to the body of Betsy Arakawa. The other two dogs were discovered alive. It was confirmed last week that Hackman passed away due to heart disease, further aggravated by Alzheimer’s, shortly after Arakawa succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare condition carried by rodents. It is suggested that Hackman, being in advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, was unaware of his wife’s death.
Gene Hackman’s body was located in the home’s entryway, whereas Betsy Arakawa’s body was found in a bathroom. Both, along with the dog, displayed signs of decomposition and mummification, an outcome attributed to body type and the arid climate of Santa Fe, situated at an elevation of nearly 7,200 feet.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office has declared both deaths as natural causes but is working to complete the investigation by gathering information from cellphones and final communications. “The case remains active until all timeline data is acquired,” stated Denise Womack Avila, the sheriff’s office spokesperson.
Zinna, once a returned shelter dog, became an inseparable companion to Arakawa, noted Joey Padilla, who owns Santa Fe Tails, the pet care facility involved in caring for the couple’s other surviving dogs.
Betsy Arakawa, born in Hawaii and a concert pianist by training, attended the University of Southern California. She met Hackman in the 1980s while working at a California gym. Hackman, widely recognized for his remarkable Hollywood career, earned two Oscars for films like “The French Connection,” “Hoosiers” and “Superman,” before retiring in the early 2000s. After moving to Santa Fe, the couple maintained a private life.
A representative for their estate has requested privacy concerning investigative reports and autopsy documentation related to their deaths, notably seeking to prevent the public release of photographs and video. A state district judge will ultimately decide on this confidentiality request.
