Investigators believe that the death of the actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, is “suspicious”, according to a search warrant published on Thursday morning, writes Variety.
Gene Hackman and his wife, Arakawa, were found dead in the photo house: X
Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 63, were found dead in their home in Santa Fe, NM, Wednesday afternoon. The cause of their death was not established, although the sheriff’s office in Santa Fei County said on Thursday morning that “A crime is not suspected today. ”
In a request for a search warrant, Detective Roy Arndt told the judge that circumstances are “Suspect enough to require a thorough search and investigation”, writes news.ro.
The bodies were found by two maintenance workers. Arakawa was lying on the bathroom floor. A bottle of pills was open on the countertop, with pills scattered nearby. Hackman was discovered in the room adjacent to the kitchen, with sunglasses next to him.
The detective seemed to be both fell. Also, a dead dog was found in the bathroom closet near Arakawa’s body. Two healthy dogs were also found on the property, one near Arakawa and the other running free. The front door of the house was open, although there was no forced entrance sign.
Firefighters and gas company were called to check if there is a natural gas leak, which could cause carbon monoxide intoxication. They have not detected anything and “There were no obvious signs of a gas leak”wrote Arndt.
“He believes that the circumstances around the death of the two deceased persons are suspicious enough to require a thorough search and investigation.” wrote the detective.
It was not clear when Arakawa and Hackman died. Arakawa’s body “presented obvious signs of death, bodily decomposition, face bloating and mummification on both hands and feet. ” Hackman’s body was “similar to that of the deceased woman ”.
Near Betsy Arakawa’s head was found a heater and it seems that “The heater could have fallen, if the woman suddenly fell to the ground”, It is added to the statement.
Detectives have searched for phones and any video proof, as well as DNA and fingerprints. Although there were no signs of trauma on the bodies, investigators also asked to collect any blunt or sharp objects that could be used as weapons.
On Wednesday, at 9:30 pm, Judge John Rysanek, from the court of magistrates in Santa Fe, approved the search warrant. The search was carried out once the mandate was issued and was considered to be safe in the premises.
The office of the medical investigator performed autopsies on Thursday morning, but has not yet established the cause of death. According to a statement of the Santirul County Bureau of Santa Fe, the examination has not confirmed any trauma – such as a stabbed wound, a shot or other visible lesions – on any of the bodies. Toxicological and carbon monoxide tests were requested.
