Gene Hackman and wife suffered no external trauma, first autopsy results show

Gene Hackman and wife suffered no external trauma, first autopsy results show

Actor and wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead at Santa Fe home under suspicious circumstances

Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, suffered no external trauma, the initial results of autopsies have found, as the mystery over the couple’s deaths at home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, remains unanswered.

The Oscar-winning actor, who graced the silver screen for more than 60 years, and his classical pianist wife were found dead at their home under suspicious circumstances. Maintenance workers found the couple’s bodies at their home on Wednesday, along with one of their three German shepherd dogs, who was also found dead.

The Santa Fe sheriff’s office gave the first insights into the autopsies on the deceased, the full results of which may take several weeks. In a statement, the department said that preliminary findings showed “no external trauma to either individual”, and “there were no apparent signs of foul play”.

The statement added that the cause of death had not yet been determined, and that the official results of the postmortem exam and toxicology reports remain pending.

The suddenly discovered deaths have stunned movie fans around the world and sent shockwaves through Hollywood and New Mexico, where the couple lived for decades.

The Santa Fe International Film Festival organization said it was “deeply saddened”.

“Not only was Gene one of the greatest actors of his generation but he and Betsy were members of our community here in Santa Fe,” a statement said.

New Mexico’s state senate held a moment of silence at the state capitol in the historic city, with one lawmaker stating: “We were lucky to call him a New Mexican.”

In downtown Santa Fe there were no signs of any immediate tributes visible among the traditional adobe buildings of the area, hailing or mourning the famous residents, and the streets were quiet on Friday morning under characteristic brilliant blue skies and bright sunshine.

Meanwhile the sheriff of Santa Fe county, Adan Mendoza, had also revealed that the couple had been dead for “quite a while” before they were found. The two maintenance workers who made the grim discovery said the last time they had been in touch with Hackman and Arakawa was two weeks previously.

Early on Friday Mendoza told the Today Show on NBC TV that it was difficult to put a timeline on how long the couple had been dead. But he added: “It appears, several days, possibly even up to a couple weeks.”