In Santa Fe, New Mexico, a judge has permitted the release of certain investigative records related to the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, as long as the images of their bodies are redacted. The decision allows the potential disclosure of police body camera footage and other related investigative materials, which were previously under a temporary court order blocking their release. However, the release will exclude any depiction of their bodies.
Judge Matthew Wilson stipulated that there should be no visual portrayal of the bodies in any video or photographic materials produced from the investigation. This ruling came after representatives for the Hackman family estate appealed for the documents to remain sealed, arguing the need to uphold the family’s constitutional right to privacy.
The couple’s remains were discovered on February 26 in their Santa Fe home by maintenance workers. The authorities reported that Hackman, at 95, passed away from heart disease with complications from Alzheimer’s, roughly a week following Arakawa’s death from a rare rodent-borne illness, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. It was suspected Hackman did not know his wife, 65, had died. Alongside them, one of their three dogs was found deceased due to dehydration and starvation, while two other dogs survived.
While authorities have previously discussed the circumstances of the deaths in a news conference, many detailed written and photographic records were withheld. New Mexico’s open records law generally prevents the public release of sensitive material, including images of bodies. Moreover, certain medical details are not considered public information under state law.
Julia Peters, representing the estate, highlighted the potentially shocking content of the photographs and videos and sought to prevent these documents, along with autopsy and investigation reports, from being disclosed. An attorney for the estate argued for the couple’s privacy, noting that Hackman and Arakawa avoided public attention during their lives, and that this preference should be respected after their deaths.
Typically, death investigations and autopsy reports are regarded as public records, supporting government transparency and accountability. However, media organizations, including The Associated Press and CBS News, have stated through their attorney that they would neither distribute images of the couple’s bodies nor release unblurred footage showing them. They emphasized the public interest in understanding the nature and handling of the investigation.
For years, the couple enjoyed their anonymity while living in Santa Fe. Hackman, who retired in the early 2000s, had three children from a previous marriage, while Arakawa had no children.
During the hearing, concerns were raised by Hackman’s children’s attorney about the potential traumatic impact of releasing their parents’ death-related conversations from police body camera recordings. Additionally, the state medical investigator’s attorney noted that autopsy reports are incomplete and won’t include past healthcare information. The completion of such reports can take several months.
The estate’s privacy and management are also highlighted as Hackman’s last will, revised in 2005, designated his estate to Arakawa, with her will reciprocating to him, leaving Julia Peters to handle the intricate estate matters. As trust documents remain confidential, the specifics of the beneficiaries and the estate distribution remain undisclosed.