The deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have prompted growing calls for transparency as their estate seeks to block public access to autopsy reports and investigative materials. The legal maneuver, coupled with shifting timelines and unusual circumstances surrounding their passing, has fueled a flurry of public speculation and conspiracy theories.
The estate's attorney, Julia Peters, filed a request in Santa Fe district court to seal all records related to the couple's deaths. Peters argued the records, including photographs and bodycam footage from law enforcement, should remain confidential, citing Hackman's historically private life and the family's constitutional right to grieve without intrusion.
"There are all sorts of crazed theories floating around on the web, which are too tasteless to repeat," a showbiz insider told RadarOnline.com. "Authorities need to step up and reveal the whole truth now so Hackman's legacy isn't the grim circumstances of his and his wife's deaths."
Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were discovered dead in their Santa Fe home on February 26 after maintenance workers alerted security guards. Their dog Zinfandel, confined to a crate, was also found dead. Two other dogs survived.
Authorities initially reported that Arakawa died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease transmitted by rodents, on February 11, and Hackman succumbed to heart disease and Alzheimer's on February 18. However, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office acknowledged on March 17 that new phone records indicate Arakawa was alive at least until the morning of February 12, when she called Cloudberry Health, a Santa Fe medical clinic, seeking hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
"We can now confirm that Mrs. Hackman's phone was utilized on the morning of February 12 to call a medical center in Santa Fe," the sheriff's office stated.
Dr. Josiah Child of Cloudberry Health confirmed Arakawa reached out for an appointment, canceling a prior visit days earlier due to Hackman's declining health. "She did not show any symptoms of respiratory distress. The appointment wasn't for anything related to hantavirus," Dr. Child told media outlets. Arakawa failed to appear for the scheduled appointment and could not be reached afterward.
Hackman's body was located in the home's mudroom alongside his cane and sunglasses, while Arakawa's mummified remains were found on a bathroom floor near the front of the house. The medical examiner's office said Hackman had no food in his stomach but was hydrated, suggesting he may have survived for days after his wife's death.
The evolving timeline has implications beyond the medical reports. Both Hackman's and Arakawa's wills include provisions that complicate inheritance based on who died first. Hackman's will left his estimated $80 million estate to Arakawa, while Arakawa's will included a clause stipulating that if they died within 90 days of each other, their combined assets would be donated to charity. Because Hackman's three adult children are his only surviving heirs, they could inherit the estate under New Mexico's community property laws, despite not being named as beneficiaries.
Further complicating the matter, the estate successfully petitioned a New Mexico judge on March 17 to temporarily block the release of sensitive images and footage from the investigation, with a hearing scheduled for March 31 to determine whether the records should remain sealed.
Meanwhile, questions persist over the timeline. Contractor Jesse Kesler, who worked regularly at the couple's home, expressed concerns after receiving no response from the pair and accompanied security guards on February 26, ultimately discovering the bodies.
The surviving dogs, Bear and Nikita, have since been rehomed. Joey Padilla, owner of Santa Fe Tails dog day care, confirmed one dog remains in Santa Fe while the other has been relocated out of state. "Both are safe, healthy, and adjusting to their new environments," a representative for the estate told People.
Public interest continues to grow, with critics urging officials to provide greater clarity. "If there's nothing to hide, then why should the files be sealed?" the insider added.
