Sheriff in Gene Hackman Investigation on Possible Timeline & Prescription Pills

Oscar winner Gene Hackman, 95, and his classical pianist wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found dead in their Santa Fe home on Wednesday, and now the authorities are offering new insight into their investigation.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza and Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya appeared on the “Today” show Friday via Zoom, speaking about a possible timeline of events.

Savannah Guthrie asked Mendoza about the latest in the investigation. He shared, “We’re trying to put things together, put together a timeline when the decedents were last seen or spoken to. Of course, we understand that is a challenge because they were very private individuals and a private family.”

Guthrie asked if the bodies may have been there for days or weeks, and Mendoza responded, “Just based on their body and other evidence on the body, it appears several days, possibly even up to a couple weeks.”

She followed up, asking if they likely died at the same time. The sheriff told her, “I think that’s very difficult to determine. I think it’s gonna be pretty close. There’s no indication that anybody was moving about the house or doing anything different, so it’s very hard to determine if they both passed at the same time or how close they passed together. We’re trying to put that information together… and I think the autopsy report is gonna be key to this investigation.”

Savannah then brought in Moya and asked if carbon monoxide or a gas leak had been ruled out definitively.

Moya said, “At the time of the [search], we did not determine anything that was in the house with our meters that was concerning towards our guys doing the searches. So, at the time of the incident, we did not find anything in the home at the time.”

Savannah brought up that it seemed like some time had passed between when they died and when they were found, asking if a gas leak could have dissipated. 

He replied, “It possibly could. That was a home with natural gas in it. So, it could’ve. Yeah, there’s a lot of [questions] there.”

Guthrie, referencing the search warrant, asked Mendoza to clarify if the front door was unlocked or open. 

Mendoza said, “The information that I gathered from the investigators was there were several doors that were unlocked at the residence. I believe the front door was closed but unlocked, unsecured. There was one door that was ajar and that was towards the rear of the residence that two of the dogs that survived were coming in and out of the residence. So, there’s a little bit of conflicting stories based on emergency response and things. We’re not sure if that door was open upon the arrival of emergency personnel or if it was open upon entry of emergency personnel, so that’s another question and something that we just need to answer.”

Savannah also asked if the prescription pills referenced in the search warrant may have been related to the deaths. The items included were a thyroid medication, a heart medication called Dilitiazem as well as Tylenol.

Mendoza said that information was passed on to the medical examiner, adding, “So, yes we’re looking at that specifically and other medications, of course, that were possibly in the residence.”

He noted the toxicology reports could take up to three months “or even possibly longer.”

Guthrie asked if they are still confident there was no foul play involved.

Mendoza said, “I think I’m pretty confident that there is no foul play just based on the lack of evidence of foul play but we, of course, we’re not ruling that out. Again, I think the autopsy results… are gonna help steer us in the right direction.”