Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their pet dog have been found dead in their Santa Fe home. Gene was 95 years old, and Betsy was 63.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza has said that no foul play is suspected in the deaths, and that they died at around midnight on Feb. 26. Speaking to The Santa Fe New Mexican, he added: “I want to assure the community and neighborhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone.”
In a statement, Mendoza went on: “We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail. This is an active investigation – however, at this time we do not believe that foul play was a factor.”
Hackman was a hugely decorated actor with two Academy Awards, two BAFTAs, four Golden Globes, and a Screen Actors Guild Award to his name. He won the Best Actor Oscar for his role as Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in the 1971 thriller French Connection, and the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in Clint Eastwood’s 1992 movie Unforgiven.
Other notable movies that he starred in include Bonnie and Clyde, Mississippi Burning, and The Royal Tenenbaums. He also played Lex Luthor in Superman movies from the 1970s and 1980s.
Meanwhile, Arakawa was a classical pianist, and she and Hackman had been married since 1991.