Following the discovery of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa deceased in their Santa Fe home, the New Mexico Gas Company conducted a thorough investigation for gas leaks and carbon monoxide poisoning. The investigation, which took place on February 26, 2025, yielded no significant findings related to lethal gas levels. A very small leak (0.33% gas in air) was detected on one stove burner, which is not considered a dangerous amount. Four additional code violations were noted, concerning a water heater and gas log lighters in three fireplaces, but these were unrelated to gas leaks or carbon monoxide.
These findings corroborate earlier statements from Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, who confirmed on Friday that both Hackman and Arakawa tested negative for carbon monoxide. The couple's home had been cleared by the Santa Fe City Fire Department shortly after the bodies were found, with no evidence of carbon monoxide issues detected. Similarly, New Mexico Gas Company found no problems with gas pipes in or around the property.
The couple, along with one of their three dogs, Zinfandel (Zinna), were found deceased on February 26th. Zinna, their oldest dog, was 12 years old. Arakawa was discovered in a bathroom with scattered pills on the counter and a space heater nearby. Hackman was found in the mudroom with a cane and sunglasses. Both exhibited signs of decomposition, suggesting they had been deceased for a period of time.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department has classified the deaths as suspicious and launched an investigation. Authorities are working backward from the time of death and autopsy results to reconstruct the events leading up to the couple's passing. While the official causes of death are yet to be released, it is believed they had been deceased for over a week before being discovered.
