Two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were found dead in their Santa Fe home Feb. 26.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed the deaths in an interview just after midnight Wednesday, and said there was no immediate indication of foul play, according to local news outlet Santa Fe New Mexican. Police did not indicate when the couple died, and no information was provided surrounding the circumstances behind this tragedy. Hackman was 95, his wife was 63. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating.
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – JANUARY 19: Actor Gene Hackman poses with his Cecil B. Demille Award backstage during the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 19, 2003 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Robert Mora/Getty Images)
Sheriff’s deputies were called to investigate the deaths of two elderly people and a dog at the home on Old Sunset Trail, in a gated community off Hyde Park Road Wednesday afternoon. It was initially unclear if they were responding to the deaths or conducting a welfare check.
“I want to assure the community and neighborhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone,” Mendoza told the Santa Fe New Mexican.
“All I can say is that we’re in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant,” the sheriff said Wednesday evening, before they had positively identified the couple. Hackman and Arakawa were married in 1991 and had lived in Santa Fe since the 1980s.
Gene Hackman arrives at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, CA on January 19, 2003. Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images.
Hackman is one of Hollywood’s most respected and honored stars. The beloved actor demonstrated the diversity of his talent by playing villains, heroes and antiheroes in dozens of dramas, comedies and action films from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s.
Hackman first made his mark in the entertainment industry by playing Warren Beatty’s brother in the 1967 film “Bonnie and Clyde,” for which he earned his first of five Oscar nominations. He was nominated for a second Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in “I Never Sang for My Father,” and clinched the win by taking home the Best Actor Oscar for his leading role in “The French Connection.”
Policeman Gene Hackman is shown in this movie still walking toward the camera. He is holding a gun in his hands with policemen and police vehicles in the background. It was in this movie The French Connection that Gene Hackman won “Best Actor.” The movie itself won “Best Picture.” Getty Images
His lengthy resume included “The Poseidon Adventure,” “The Conversation,” “Crimson Tide,” and his iconic role as Lex Luthor in the 1978 film “Superman.”
Other notable credits included “Antz,” “The Birdcage,” “The Royal Tenenbaums,” and Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven,” for which Hackman took home his second Oscar in 1993.
Hackman stepped away from Hollywood after starring in the 2004 comedy “Welcome to Mooseport.”
LOS ANGELES, CA – 1996: Actor Gene Hackman poses for a portrait circa 1996 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ron Davis/Getty Images)
His illustrious career included a number of accolades including two Academy Award wins.
Hackman became an active painter during his retirement. He did voice-over work, wrote books and narrated two documentary films. (RELATED: Chris Jasper Of The Isley Brothers Dead At 73)
His death sent shockwaves through Hollywood. Social media has erupted as fans, loved ones, and fellow stars pay tribute to the iconic star and the long legacy he left behind.
This article was originally published at dailycaller.com
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