Hollywood actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa’s dog died of dehydration and starvation, an official report has confirmed.
The Oscar-winning actor, 95, was discovered at his Santa Fe home on 26 February, alongside the body of his wife Betsy, 65. Authorities found two dogs at the property, but sadly one of the couple’s beloved dogs, a kelpie mix named Zinna, was found dead.
Investigations were launched into the Superman star’s death, and it was confirmed that Gene had died of heart failure, complicated by advanced Alzheimer’s and hypertension.
The iconic Hollywood actor, best known for his roles in Bonnie and Clyde, Unforgiven, Crimson Tide, and The French Connection, was “in very poor health” before he died, the New Mexico Chief Medical Examiner Heather Jarrell said in a statement following an investigation into his passing. Medical examiners suggested that Betsy, whose cause of death was rare rodent-borne illness hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, had sadly died a week before her husband.
Gene’s body, which had signs of decomposition and mummification, was found in the entrance hall of his home, while Betsy was discovered in a bathroom, with officials believing that the award-winning actor may not have been aware of his wife’s death due to his Alzheimer’s. Their dog Zinna was found dead in a crate near Betsy’s body, and the Santa Fe County animal control agency’s report said there was “partial mummification” of the dog.
The dog’s stomach only contained small amounts of hair and bile, leading animal control officials to confirm Zinna died of starvation and dehydration. Their beloved pet was a returned shelter dog, and was “an incredible companion” to Betsy, said Joey Padilla, the owner of the Santa Fe Tails pet care facility. The couple’s two other surviving dogs, Bear and Nikita, are being cared for at the facility.
Earlier this week, Santa Fe Fire Department Chief Brian Moya told USA Today that Bear and Nikita helped authorities find the bodies of their owners, after maintenance workers raised the alarm. He recalled the dogs were running up to first responders and barking, before running in a different direction. “They realised (the dog) was trying to say, ‘Hey, come over here! Come over here!’” he said.
Gene, who won two Oscars, retired from Hollywood in the early 2000s, and preferred a more private life in Santa Fe with Betsy and their three dogs. Following news of the couple’s death, a representative for Gene and Betsy’s estate has tried to block the public release of autopsy and investigative reports related to their deaths, citing privacy concerns.
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