Hollywood Legend Gene Hackman and Wife Both Found Dead

Iconic Hollywood star Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have sadly been found dead in their home in Santa Fe.

They had been married since 1991 and were found on Wednesday morning with their dog. No foul play is suspected.

Santa Fe County sheriff Adan Mendoza has not provided a cause of death nor as he shared when they may have died. Authorities were called to their home Wednesday afternoon.

At this point, it is not clear if authorities were performing a welfare check or responding to reports of their deaths.

Mendoza, after identifying the two bodies, shared that officials are in the middle of a preliminary death investigation and waiting on approval of a search warrant.

Hackman had just turned 95 in January. He was well known for being a private person, in retirement. The two-time Oscar winner had not starred in a movie since 2004.

He first gained fame in 1967 when he starred in Bonnie and Clyde and went on to act in well-known movies and TV shows like Superman, the French connection and Get Shorty.

In 2004 however, he announced he was retiring – left Los Angeles and went on to live a quiet life in New Mexico with his wife.

The icon appeared in over 80 films as well as television and stage work.

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Hackman was married twice, his second wife, 63-year-old pianist Arakawa, sadly died also.

The couple had no children but Hackman had three children with his first wife, Faye Maltese. They divorced in 1986 after 30 years together and raising three children, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, Leslie Anne Hackman and Christopher Allen Hackman.

After five years, he married Arakawa – a retired classical pianist 30 years younger than him.

Speaking to Reuters in 2008, he said: ‘I haven’t held a press conference to announce retirement, but yes, I’m not going to act any longer.’

‘I’ve been told not to say that over the last few years, in case some real wonderful part comes up, but I really don’t want to do it any longer.’

He also spoke of his passion for writing novels, saying ‘I like the loneliness of it, actually. It’s similar in some ways to acting, but it’s more private and I feel like I have more control over what I’m trying to say and do.’

They will both be missed, RIP.