Investigators probing Oscar-winner Gene Hackman’s death revealed the bottle of pills discovered in his home was now being considered a ‘very important’ piece of evidence.
Santa Fe Sheriff Adam Mendoza told the Today Show on Friday that the prescription bottle, discovered with pills all around it on the countertop within the 95-year-old’s home, ‘is something of concern’.
Three medications were removed from the home, including Diltiazem, a blood pressure medication; a thyroid medication, and Tylenol, according to Huffington Post, which cited a search warrant.
Mendoza said the medication has been passed onto the medical examiner’s office to help them make a cause of death determination. It could be months before the toxicology results come back.
‘We’re looking at that specifically and other medications, of course, that were possibly in the residence,’ he told Today.
‘But we’re hoping [the report] comes sooner than later so we can answer some of these questions and hopefully it’ll help us in our investigation to help determine… the matter and cause of death.’
Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, were both found dead in the $3.8 million home in separate rooms by a caretaker around 1:45pm in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Wednesday.
Oscar winner Gene Hackman and his wife were mysteriously found dead in their $3.8 million Santa Fe home on Wednesday
Santa Fe Sheriff Adam Mendoza (left) said investigators found a prescription bottle with pills all around it on the countertop inside the 95-year-old’s home was a ‘very important’ piece of evidence. Suspicions the couple and their pooch died from a gas leak have mainly been ruled out by the Santa Fe Fire Department, according to Chief Brian Moya (right)
The French Connection actor’s body was found in the mudroom with his sunglasses nearby – causing police to speculate that he had ‘suddenly fallen.’
The Oscar winner’s wife was found lying on her side in the bathroom near a space heater. Police also speculate that she too ‘abruptly fell to the ground,’ according to the affidavit.
The spilled pill bottle was found near Arakawa, who was found with signs of decay, including body decomposition and bloating to her face, hands and feet. Her husband had similar decomposition.
The couple’s dog was also found deceased in a closet near Arakawa.
‘An initial interrogation was conducted of Mr. Hackman’s pacemaker. This revealed that his last event was recorded on Feb. 17, 2025,’ Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said in a press conference on Friday.
Police do not suspect foul play, despite the front door being found ‘ajar.’ There was no signs of forced entry into the home.
‘I think I’m pretty confident that there is no foul play just based on the lack of evidence,’ Mendoza later told Today. ‘But, of course, we’re not ruling that out.’
Suspicions the couple and their pooch died from a gas leak have been ruled out by the Santa Fe Fire Department, according to Chief Brian Moya.
Investigators suspect their bodies have been lying there since February 17. Police do not suspect foul play
Officials said that there was no trace of the deadly gas in the bodies of the couple, and that there was still no official cause of death.
‘When we arrived, we made our people, as well as the sheriff’s, were safe,’ Moya said. ‘And we went back again yesterday [Thursday] to do another round of search and there was nothing there as well.’
The fire chief did, however, mention that there were a lot of ‘unanswered’ questions.
New Mexico Gas Company did respond to the residence as it was conducting ‘active testing on the gas line in and around the residence,’ according to the affidavit. No signs of problems were identified.
However, both men are waiting on the full toxicology report, after their autopsies have been concluded. to get clearer answers as to what went down.
‘The autopsy results, the official results, are going to help steer us in the right direction,’ Mendoza told Today.
‘The autopsy is key. That is going to take some time, so I hope a little bit of patience on the family’s part, on everybody’s part, so we can have some answers into these deaths.’
