Gene Hackman’s neighbor reveals how rarely he saw the late actor and his wife
Community members recall the couple's private lifestyle following their mysterious deaths
Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were rarely seen by their neighbors, according to new reports, as questions continue to swirl about their sudden deaths in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The entertainment industry was left in shock when the legendary actor and his pianist wife were found dead in their home on February 26. Initial reports suggested no foul play, but details that have since emerged have raised more questions about the circumstances of their passing.
Hackman and Arakawa lived a secluded life
Hackman, 95, was discovered in a mudroom, while Arakawa was found in the bathroom next to a collection of pills—an element that Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza called a “significant” piece of evidence.
While authorities investigate the case, neighbors of the couple have spoken out about how little they actually saw the two-time Oscar winner and his wife.
Speaking to The New York Times, James Everett, who lived part-time in a house next to Hackman’s for five years, said, “They have a gate, and we have a gate, and we just have never even seen each other.”
Another neighbor, Bud Hamilton, who lived next door for 20 years, said he had dinner with Hackman and Arakawa just once in all that time. Meanwhile, longtime area resident Harvey Chalker shared, “He wanted to be quiet, he didn’t want to be bothered, and I don’t blame him.”
The mystery behind their deaths
Hackman’s daughter, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, told TMZ that the family suspected carbon monoxide poisoning. However, the Santa Fe Fire Department and the New Mexico Gas Company have ruled this out after finding no evidence of leaks in the home.
Adding to the mystery, Sheriff Mendoza revealed that Hackman’s pacemaker recorded its last heartbeat on February 17, over a week before the couple’s bodies were found.
With investigators still piecing together the puzzle, the world continues to mourn the loss of a Hollywood icon who, despite his fame, chose to live a life away from the spotlight.
