<p id=”par-1_80″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/actors/”>Actor</a> Gene Hackman, 95, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/gene-hackmans-wife-betsy-arakawa-times-married.html/”>his wife, Betsy Arakawa</a>, 64, and their dog were <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/gene-hackman-dead-at-95-did-the-famed-actor-have-children.html/”>found dead in their home</a> in February 2025. Initial findings showed no immediate signs of foul play. Still, their deaths remain a mystery as of Feb. 28. Hackman and Arakawa lived a quiet life in New Mexico. Hackman was conscious of his health following heart problems in his middle-aged years. Here’s what his friend said about Arakawa keeping Hackman on a strict, healthy diet until their deaths.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-gene-hackman-s-close-friend-said-hackman-s-wife-betsy-arakawa-kept-the-actor-on-a-strict-diet”>Gene Hackman’s close friend said Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, kept the actor on a strict diet</h2>
<p id=”par-2_60″><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/gene-hackman-1-best-action-movies-nobody-talks.html/”>Actor Gene Hackman</a> lived a long life, though he and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, seemingly died under mysterious circumstances. Hackman and Arakawa stayed out of the spotlight following Hackman’s acting retirement. They <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/gene-hackmans-home-everything-we-know-about-the-sprawling-santa-fe-estate.html/”>lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico</a>, where the public rarely spotted them. In past interviews, Hackman noted how he and Arakawa enjoyed nights in to watch movies. </p>
<p id=”par-3_53″>Hackman’s close friend and former business partner, Doug Lanham, gave more insight into Hackman and Arakawa’s marriage. Lanham told <a href=”https://www.tmz.com/2025/02/27/gene-hackman-close-friend-business-partner-says-wife-had-him-on-strict-diet/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>TMZ</a> that Arakawa ensured Hackman ate a healthy diet. The friend explained how Hackman’s wife was so strict that the actor could only sneak cheat meals when he was out golfing with friends. </p>
<p id=”par-4_59″>According to Lanham, Hackman frequently came by Jinja Bar & Bistro, a restaurant that Lanham owned when he first met Hackman. Hackman eventually co-owned the spot, though he later retired and sold his stake in the business. When the actor would frequent the restaurant, Lanham says he’d order halibut or rice-paper salmon to comply with Arakawa’s dietary rules. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-gene-hackman-had-heart-problems-in-the-90s”>Gene Hackman had heart problems in the ’90s</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Gene-Hackman-wife-Betsy-Arakawa.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa sitting next to each other in 1986. Hackman is looking forward while Arakawa is looking at him.” class=”wp-image-3782481″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa in 1986 in Los Angeles | Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
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<p id=”par-5_35″>Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, likely wanted the actor to stay healthy due to his past heart problems. In 1990, Hackman underwent an angioplasty, which helped to widen obstructed or narrowed arteries and veins. </p>
<p id=”par-6_58″>In 2004, he spoke about how his heart issues impacted his decision to retire. “The straw that broke the camel’s back was actually a stress test that I took in New York,” he told <a href=”https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/gene-hackman-archive-interview-retirement-acting-novels/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Empire Magazine</a>. “The doctor advised me that my heart wasn’t in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress.”</p>
<p id=”par-7_63″>That same year, Hackman spoke to Larry King about his fear of dying. “I try to take care of myself. I don’t have a lot of fears,” the actor revealed, according to the <a href=”https://nypost.com/2025/02/27/entertainment/gene-hackman-spoke-about-fear-of-dying-years-before-his-death-at-95/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>New York Post</a>. “I have the normal fear of passing away — you know, I guess we all think about that, especially when you get to be a certain age.”</p>
<p id=”par-8_27″>“I want to make sure that my wife and my family are taken care of,” he continued. “Other than that, I don’t have a lot of fears.”</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-a-santa-fe-county-sheriff-explained-the-very-important-evidence-at-the-scene”>A Santa Fe County Sheriff explained the ‘very important’ evidence at the scene </h2>
<p id=”par-9_34″>Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza spoke to <em>Today</em> regarding the deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa. According to <a href=”https://people.com/prescription-pill-bottle-found-near-gene-hackman-wife-important-evidence-sheriff-says-11688248″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>People</a>, a prescription pill bottle was found open, with pills scattered near the bodies.</p>
<p id=”par-10_55″>“That’s obviously very important evidence at the scene,” Mendoza said about the medication. “That information was collected; that information was passed to the office of the medical investigator to help them make a determination. So, we’re looking at that specifically and other medications that were possibly in the residence. So, that is something of concern.”</p>
<p id=”par-11_13″>Mendoza said a toxicology report could take up to three months to complete.</p>
<p id=”par-12_43″>“It just depends how busy the laboratory is,” he continued. “But we’re hoping it comes sooner than later so we can answer some of these questions, and hopefully it’ll help us in our investigation to help determine the matter and cause of death.”</p>
<p id=”par-13_20″>Mendoza added that he feels confident “there’s no foul play just based on the lack of evidence of foul play.”</p>
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