Gene Hackman, the two-time Oscar winner, and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their Santa Fe home last week. The circumstances of their deaths are considered suspicious by authorities. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said the couple’s bodies were discovered in separate rooms.
Pills were scattered next to Arakawa. Data from Hackman’s pacemaker suggested he had been dead for nine days before they were found. Preliminary autopsies found no external trauma or immediate signs of foul play.
RIP : the great #GeneHackman. Lovely appreciation in the New York Times about the actor who never was Hollywood's brightest star, but was undeniably one of the film world's greatest talent. He is dead at 95. https://t.co/cjDnxiN8As
— Robert Hilburn (@roberthilburn) March 2, 2025
Authorities also found no immediate cause of carbon monoxide or natural gas leaks. The investigation into the deaths is ongoing. Hackman, 95, was known for roles in films such as “The French Connection,” “Hoosiers,” “Unforgiven,” and “The Firm.” Arakawa was a classical pianist three decades his junior.
The couple moved to the Santa Fe area more than a decade before Hackman retired from acting at age 74. Their home was in a gated community at the end of a long, curving driveway. It featured expansive mountain views but was secluded enough to be largely out of cell phone range.
Sending love and condolences to Gene and Betsy Hackman’s family. ???? https://t.co/Bxr9Ljlb7G
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) February 28, 2025
Longtime friends Daniel and Barbara Lenihan said the couple had chosen to live in a quiet area, tucked away inside a home they built in the mountains just outside Santa Fe. “They were very private, and we certainly respected that,” Barbara said. The two couples met over 30 years ago when Hackman and Arakawa visited Santa Fe and stopped by a diving shop.
Hackman saw a drawing of the USS Arizona and Pearl Harbor that Daniel, an underwater archaeologist, had mapped.
Want to watch a Gene Hackman movie this weekend? I'm here to help. https://t.co/A26oGidE7f
— Brian Tallerico (@Brian_Tallerico) February 28, 2025
Hackman and wife’s mysterious deaths
Hackman wanted to meet Daniel, so they went to lunch together and immediately hit it off.
Barbara and Arakawa co-founded a home decor and furnishing store in Santa Fe, featuring fabrics from around the world as well as the work of local artisans. Inspired by Hackman’s travels to central Europe, they launched the business after he returned with beautiful linen pillows from a movie filming trip in 2001. “They were fairly isolated, so it was not unusual not to have heard from them,” Barbara said.
“Betsy was a wonderful wife. They were very close, and she was a good cook, really taking good care of him.”
Until a year ago, Hackman was still riding his bicycle until a year ago, and Arakawa had him do yoga and fitness routines via Zoom to stay fit. When hosting the Lenihans, Hackman would often ask Arakawa to play classical piano pieces, and she always supported his accomplishments.
The couple loved to travel and were well-liked in their community. Hackman, who enjoyed painting and writing, was very involved with the art world and often gifted his artwork to friends and for charity auctions. Friends recall his generosity and desire to stay connected through art.
The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe expressed deep sadness over Hackman and Arakawa’s passing. Hackman had served on the Museum’s Board of Trustees from 1997 to 2004 and narrated the film “Georgia O’Keeffe: A Life in Art.
At the 97th Academy Awards, Hackman received a stirring tribute from his friend and collaborator Morgan Freeman. “Gene always said, ‘I don’t think about legacy.
I just hope people remember me as someone who tried to do good work,'” Freeman recounted. “So, I think I speak for us all when I say, ‘Gene, you’ll be remembered for that and for so much more. Rest in peace, my friend.'”
Their friends and community members honor the couple’s memory, reflecting on their genuine kindness, humility, and support for the arts, which left a lasting imprint on those who knew them.
