The Santa Fe, New Mexico, Sheriff’s Department released the findings of an inspection conducted by a gas utility company of actor Gene Hackman’s home, which concluded no significant leaks were found.
The New Mexico Gas Company “confirmed it conducted an extensive investigation for gas leaks and carbon monoxide” on Feb. 26 and made “no significant findings,” Fox News reported.
Both Hackman, 95, his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, and one of their three dogs had been found dead in their home earlier in the day by police.
Initially, carbon monoxide or a gas leak of some kind had been suspected as a cause of the death, but the fire department had confirmed it was safe to enter the home on Feb. 26, ruling out a significant leak, at least by the time the police conducted their search of the property.
The gas company reported, “There were no significant findings. NMGC did issue five (5) red tags. One red tag was for a minuscule leak (0.33% gas in air – not a lethal amount) at one of the stove burners. The other four red tags were for code enforcement violations — not involving gas leaks or carbon monoxide — involving a water heater and gas log lighters installed in three fireplaces.”
Additionally, NMGC discovered “no signs or evidence” of problems with the pipes surrounding Hackman’s home.
Police found the actor’s body in the mudroom of the home. “According to a search warrant affidavit, Hackman had a cane with him and sunglasses near his head,” Fox News said.
“Arakawa was found on the floor in a bathroom of the couple’s home. Various pills were scattered on a counter, and a space heater was on the floor next to her, according to the search warrant affidavit,” the outlet added.
At a news conference on Friday, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told reporters that he had spoken to Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief of the Office of Medical Investigator, who had informed him earlier in the day that both Hackman and Arakawa had tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning.
Further, Hackman’s pacemaker recorded its last event on Feb. 17, nine days before the couple was discovered dead.
Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday, after the couple was found dead in their home earlier this week. Mendoza added that Hackman’s pacemaker recorded its final activity on Feb. 17,… pic.twitter.com/6cQwWtClYn
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 28, 2025
Mendoza also said the toxicology testing of Hackman and Arakawa is being conducted on an expedited basis.
“The manner and cause of death has not been determined” so far, he said. “The official results of the autopsy and toxicology reports are pending.”
The actor’s nephew, Tim Hackman, told US Weekly in an interview published Tuesday that the family does not want to speculate about the cause of death.
“We’re waiting on toxicology. That will tell us everything,” he said. “It’s hard to theorize. There are lots of theories out there and I don’t want to speculate. It’s easy to speculate negative theories.”
“My uncle was 95 years old at an age where you think about, ‘OK, it’s time,’” Tim added. “But from the circumstances now things have changed a bit. It’s a major change.”
Fellow Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman honored Hackman at the Academy Awards Sunday night.
Morgan Freeman pays tribute to his “dear friend” Gene Hackman: “He received two Oscars but more importantly he won the hearts of film lovers all over the world.”#Oscarshttps://t.co/nl9CxOviL4 pic.twitter.com/LA4voHhYf6
— ABC News (@ABC) March 3, 2025
“This week, our community lost a giant, and I lost a dear friend,” Freeman said.
The two worked together on two films: “Unforgiven” (1992) for which Hackman won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and “Under Suspicion” (2000).
Hackman also won Best Actor for his role in “The French Connection” (1971).
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