The authorities, even after eight days, are finding it hard to determine the cause behind the sudden demise of Gene Hackman and his wife.
Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead in their Santa Fe home on February 26. (Photo Credits: X)
The sudden demise of the renowned Hollywood actor Gene Hackman and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, left the world in shock. The couple was found dead in their Santa Fe home on February 26. They were discovered after a pest control worker arrived at their home for a scheduled visit but got no response at the door. He grew concerned and contacted a security officer, who then looked through a window only to find their dead bodies inside.
When the authorities arrived, they found the 95-year-old actor in the mudroom and his wife in the bathroom. Their dog was also found dead in the house. As their bodies showed significant decomposition, officials believe that the couple was dead for several days before they were discovered. More than a week later, the investigators are still looking for the cause of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s mysterious death.
One of the biggest challenges that the investigators are facing is determining the exact time of the couple’s death. Forensic pathologist Judy Melinek told People, “In the early phases after death, we can rely on things like rigor mortis — the stiffening of the body — or algor mortis, which is the body temperature.” However, the process gets more challenging once the body is decomposed.
She also told the media outlet that investigators often turn to circumstantial evidence, such as when the couple was last seen or their mail started piling up, to determine when they might have passed away. Further, Judy shared that when a body decomposes for over 10 days, it starts to fall apart, and certain organs also disintegrate. She further noted that mummification also complicates the process of knowing who died first.
Meanwhile, James Gill, Chief Medical Examiner with the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, talked to the aforementioned outlet about the factors that impact postmortem changes. He said, “It depends where in the house they were, what were they wearing, all sorts of things can affect the postmortem changes. Once you get to that mummification stage, there’s nothing to be able to distinguish the two deaths timewise.”
James also added that environmental factors can also impact the rate of decomposition. “Generally dry environments, a person will mummify more quickly than in a non-dry environment,” he explained.
Previously, to rule out external causes, the investigators checked the couple’s home for gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning. Except for a minor leak, they did not find anything that could have been a factor in their deaths.
