Leslie Hackman, daughter of actor Gene Hackman, said that her father and stepmother may have inhaled toxic fumes and died at home because he had been in good health for several months.
After the bodies of 95-year-old actor Gene Hackman and his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, 64, were discovered at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on February 26, his daughter told Daily Mail that the family is still waiting for the police to confirm the results. Leslie and her sister, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, can only speculate that their father and stepmother, along with one of their three dogs, may have died from inhaling toxic fumes from a carbon monoxide leak. The other two dogs are still alive.
Leslie, 58, said the family is still trying to understand what happened because there were “no signs of anything wrong” with her father before his death. “Despite his age, he was in very good shape,” she revealed, adding that her father had not undergone any major surgery in the past few months. “He loved Pilates, yoga, and he still did it a couple of times a week. So,
he was in good health.”
However, Leslie said she was “not too shocked” because her father was 95. Living in California, she had not seen or heard from her reclusive father for several months. “We were very close. I hadn’t spoken to them in a few months, but everything was normal and good,” she shared.
On February 27, Leslie and her sister were seen dining together at a Denny’s restaurant in Burbank, California. According to Daily Mail, the photo was taken nearly a day after learning of the death of her father and stepmother. Leslie said she would take care of some personal matters before going to her father's house in New Mexico.
Superman actor Gene Hackman was married to banker Faye Maltese from 1956 to 1986. They had three children together: Christopher Allen, now 65, Elizabeth Jean, 62, and Leslie Anne. In 1991, Gene married pianist Betsy, and they remained together until her death. The couple had no children together.
Leslie said her father and stepmother had a wonderful marriage. She also credited her stepmother for taking good care of her father. "I was very sad when she passed away," Leslie said.
According to the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office, Gene Hackman and his wife had been dead for at least a day before they were discovered, as both bodies showed signs of decomposition. Gene was found in a walk-in closet next to the kitchen, while his wife was found in a bathroom closet. A dog was found dead next to Betsy.
Police have ruled out the possibility that the couple inhaled toxic fumes, as there were "no obvious signs of a gas leak." The cause of Gene and his wife's deaths is still under investigation. Police said the deaths were "of such a suspicious nature that a thorough search and investigation is warranted." "They may have been victims of a double homicide, suicide, accident or natural causes," Sheriff Adan Mendoza told TMZ.
Gene Hackman, born in 1930, is one of the most successful Hollywood actors of all time. He has appeared in more than 100 films, won two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, two BAFTAs, and was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003. Gene retired from acting in 2004.