This week, Gene Hackman and his wife were mysteriously found dead at their home, and the situation is being investigated by the police. His heartbroken daughters revealed that they had not spoken to or seen him in recent months.
On February 26, 2025, news broke that Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home, shocking the world. At the time of their deaths, the actor was 95, and his wife was 64.
Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, on January 19, 2003 | Source: Getty Images
The couple’s bodies were discovered in separate rooms of their $3.8 million home. Gene and his wife’s neighbor and caretaker called emergency services after discovering the bodies. Since the news emerged, some of Gene’s family members have shared their thoughts and grief about the matter.
The day after his death, Leslie Anne and Elizabeth Hackman, two of the late actor’s three children, along with his granddaughter, Annie, broke their silence with a statement. They said, “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman, and his wife, Betsy.”
Their statement continued, “He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us, he was always just Dad and Grandpa.” The trio concluded, “We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
On the day the statement was released, Leslie shared her thoughts on her father’s death. She revealed to a publication that the family was awaiting information from law enforcement to determine the couple’s cause of death.
Leslie and Elizabeth can only speculate that the couple might have died from inhaling toxic fumes, possibly due to a carbon monoxide leak. Their father and stepmother were not the only ones who perished in the house; one of their three dogs also passed away.
According to Leslie, the family is still processing the incident since “there was no indication that there was any problem” with Gene before his death. The 58-year-old revealed, “Despite his age, he was in very good physical condition.”
She shared that he enjoyed doing yoga and Pilates several times a week and was in good health. The late star’s daughter also noted that the actor had not undergone any major surgeries in recent months. However, Leslie admitted that losing him was “not terribly shocking because he was 95.”
As a California resident, Gene’s daughter acknowledged that it had been “a few months” since she last saw or heard from her reclusive father, despite their close bond. Leslie explained, “We were close. I hadn’t talked to them for a couple of months, but everything was normal,and everything was good.”
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office stated that the couple’s bodies had been in their home for at least a day before deputies found them. An arrest warrant revealed that both bodies showed signs of decomposition.
Leslie intends to go to New Mexico as soon as she receives feedback from the police. She explained, “We need to wait and find out whatever information from the police. We weren’t expecting to have to go out there and go through the house and all that.”
Gene’s daughter continued, “So we have some work cut out for us. But yeah, we’ll be going out to New Mexico.” On the same day Leslie opened up, Tim Hackman, Gene’s nephew, also shared his thoughts.
Tim revealed that he and his side of the family learned about his uncle and his wife’s death through Leslie before the news broke. He also mentioned that Leslie was the family member who had the most contact with the late couple.
The 51-year-old relative shared that he found out the truth on Wednesday night and was saddened to learn that his uncle’s death was not natural. When asked if Gene had any significant health issues, he responded, “I mean, he was old. I’m sure he had some [health] concerns, but nothing that was shared.”
Barbara Hackman, Tim’s mother, was married to Gene’s brother, Richard, who worked as the late actor’s stuntman and passed away 11 years ago. Tim also shared the last time he saw the late star, stating, “Eleven years ago was the last time I physically saw him. He only came to California during the warm weather, and then he just stayed in New Mexico.”
Despite it being over a decade, Tim clarified that Gene was not “estranged” from the rest of the family. The late actor’s nephew elaborated, “He liked New Mexico. He loved it. It’s a beautiful place.”
The Hackman family’s grief is palpable as they navigate the tragic loss of Gene and his wife. As investigations continue, loved ones will hopefull hold on to memories of the beloved actor and his enduring legacy.
