Death of Hackman and wife dey 'suspicious enough' for investigation - police tok

E be like say di Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and im wife don die for "some time" bifor police see di couple plus dia dog on Wednesday afternoon for dia house for di US state of New Mexico, police tok.

Police see 95-year-old Hackman for one side room near di kitchen of di house for Santa Fe, and dem see im wife Betsy Arakawa, wey be 65-year-old classical pianist, for inside one bathroom.

Authorities report say no signs of injury dey but add say di deaths dey "suspicious enough" to investigate and dem no dey rule out foul play.

Dem no also give cause of death.

Di Santa Fe County Sheriff office confam di deaths.

"On 26 February, 2025, at approximately 1:45pm, dem dispatch Santa Fe County Sheriff deputies go one address on Old Sunset Trail for Hyde Park wia dem see di deadi-body of Gene Hackman, im wife Betsy Arakawa, and one dog," di office tok.

For one news conference on Thursday afternoon, 27 February, Sheriff Adan Mendoza say: "E be like say e don tey small wen dem die, and I no wan guess in reference how long e be."

Police describe wetin fit be di last moments of di dead couple

One sheriff detective wey respond to di scene said tok say dem believe say di couple don die for some time becos Ms Arakawa body don dey "decompose" and "mummification" dey for her hands and feet.

"Di man wey die also show obvious signs of death, similar and consistent wit di woman wey die," according to di search warrant.

One portable heater dey near Ms Arakawa head, wey di detective determine fit fall wen she fall for ground.

Authorities say dem don request carbon monoxide and toxicology tests for both Hackman and im wife, plus di cause of death neva dey clear as dem dey wait for di results of di autopsy.

One prescription bottle and scattered pills dey on di bathroom countertop close to her body. Police see say di couple German Shepherd dog die for bathroom closet near to Ms Arakawa.

Hackman bin wear one grey tracksuit bottoms, one blue long-sleeve T-shirt and brown slippers. Sunglasses and one walking cane dey next to di body.

Di detective suspect say di actor bin fall suddenly.

Di circumstances of dia death dey "suspicious enough in nature to require thorough search and investigation", di search warrant tok, becos di pesin wey call emergency services see say di front door of di property dey open.

But di detective no observe any sign of forced entry into di house. Nothing appear out of place inside. And nothing show say dia properties dey tampered wit, or say dem remove any item.

Dem discover two oda, healthy dogs dey waka around di property – one for inside and one for outside.

Di couple 2,300 sq ft ranch-style home, part of one gated community, dey valued at around $1m, according to tax records.

Di local utility wey respond no see any sign of gas leak for di area. Di fire department no detect any carbon monoxide leak or poisoning, according to di search warrant.

Di detective follow two maintenance workers for di scene, na one of dem bin call di emergency services.

Di two workers tok say dem dey sometimes carry out routine work for di property, but dem rarely ever dey see di couple.

Dem tok say na through phone and text messages dem dey take follow dem tok, especially wit Ms Arakawa.

Di two workers say di last time dem get contact wit di couple na two weeks ago.

One recording of di 911 call wey BBC see show as di emotional caller dey tell one dispatcher how e see di two deaci body.

"No, dem no dey move," e tok for di audio. "Just send somebody out hia sharp sharp."

Di officer wey pick di call fit hear as di pesin wey call dem dey "damn" repeatedly.

Who be Gene Hackman?

Hackman na 95, and im wife na 63.

Ova six decades experience as actor, Hackman don collect two Academy Awards, two Baftas, four Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Award.

Hackman win di best actor Oscar for im role as Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in William Friedkin 1971 thriller The French Connection, and anoda for best supporting actor for playing Little Bill Daggett in Clint Eastwood Western film Unforgiven in 1992.

Im oda Oscar-nominated roles na 1967 movie Bonnie and Clyde - as Buck Barrow for im breakthrough role - and 1970 I Never Sang for My Father, e play di agent in Mississippi Burning (1988).

Di Santa Fe County Sheriff office tell di BBC: "On 26 February, 2025 at 1:45 p.m., Santa Fe County Sheriff deputies wey go to di address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park wia Gene Hackman, 95 and im wife Betsy Arakawa, 64 and dog die."

Actor Hackman play more dan 100 roles including Lex Luthor in Superman movies in di 1970s and 1980s.

E also star in di hit movies Runaway Jury and Francis Ford Copalla Di Conversation, as well as Wes Anderson Di Royal Tenenbaums.

Im last big screen appearance come as Monroe Cole in Welcome to Mooseport in 2004.

Born in California in 1930, Hackman join di army afta im lie about im age at 16, serving for four-and-half years.

Following im military service, afta im stay for New York, e decide to do acting.

In order to pursue im career, Hackman join di Pasadena Playhouse in California, wia e be come friend wit one young Dustin Hoffman.

"I wan become actor from di time I bin dey age 10, maybe even younger dan dat," e once tok. "Recollections of early movies wey I don see and actors wey I don admire like James Cagney, Errol Flynn, romantic action guys.

"Wen I see dis actors, I feel I fit do am. But I dey New York for about eight years bifor I get di job. I sell ladies shoes, polish leather furniture, drive truck.

"I tink say if you get am inside you and you want am bad enough, you fit do am."

E add say "e want act" but dem dey "always tell am say actors gatz to fine".

"Dis na from di early days wen Errol Flynn bin my idol. I go come out of theatre and be startled wen I look mirror becos I no look like Flynn. I feel like am."

E move back to New York in 1963, performing in Off-Broadway productions and small-small TV roles.

E become popular in di 1970s, as e become di leading man for New York City detective Jimmy 'Popeye' Doyle in Di French Connection.

In1972 wit di feem "The Poseidon Adventure", e become more popular .

Hackman and im first wife, Faye Maltese, bin dey togada for 30 years and raise dia three pikin bifor dem divorce in 1986.

For im later years, Hackman and im second wife, Betsy - classical pianist - stay out of di spotlight, stop public appearance togada at di 2003 Golden Globe Awards, wia e win di Cecil B. deMille award.

In 2008 e tell Reuters: "I neva hold press conference to announce my retirement, but yes, I no go act any longer.

"Dem don tell me make I no tok about am ova di last few years, in case some real wonderful part come up, but I really no want do am any longer."

E also explain say e dey focus im attentions on im passion for writing novels.

"Dem train me to be actor, no be star. Dem train me to play roles, no be to deal wit fame and agents and lawyers and di press," e tok.

"E really cost me a lot emotionally to watch myself on-screen. I tink of myself, and feel like I dey young, and den I look at dis old man wit di baggy chins and di weak eyes and di hairline wey don dey go back and all dat."