One year ago, Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead at their home, leaving their two surviving dogs to roam the mansion alone
As the bodies of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa lay in their mansion, their surviving dogs were left to fend for themselves(Image: Facebook / Animal Rescue, Inc)
Actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa died in tragic circumstances, leaving their beloved pet dogs in a devastating situation.
A welfare check conducted by neighbourhood security on February 26, 2025, found classical pianist Betsy lifeless on the bathroom floor beside a space heater. Two-time Oscar winner Gene was discovered deceased in a room adjacent to his kitchen. It was later confirmed that Betsy had succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome – an uncommon illness transmitted by rats. Gene died around one week later, from heart disease, with his advanced Alzheimer’s disease also understood to be a contributing factor.
Tragically, it’s believed that, in his state of serious cognitive decline, Gene may not have realised that his devoted wife of 34 years was lying dead in the bathroom as he spent his final days alone. A search of their Santa Fe mansion, which has been described as a “mess”, also led to the sad discovery of the body of one of the couple’s three dogs, 12-year-old Zinna. The much-loved pet, who had reportedly been recovering from surgery, had likely died from severe dehydration or starvation. However, their two other dogs managed to survive this horror ordeal, with one even assisting with the recovery of his master’s body.
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The two surviving dogs, German Shepherd Bear and Akita-shepherd mix Nikita, were discovered roaming the remote 12-acre estate, fending for themselves. Heartbreaking bodycam footage shows seven-year-old Bear staring anxiously at Betsy in an 11-minute video taken at the New Mexico property. One of the investigators can be heard saying, “Poor guy, he’s sad,” in sympathetic reference to the forlorn pooch. In the clip, the house appears cluttered and squalid.
While it didn’t take long to locate Betsy, it took first responders at the scene several minutes to find Gene. Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya recounted how one of the loyal animals had begun barking at them and seemed to be leading them to the mudroom, where Gene was. Chief Moya reflected: “It was a heartfelt story, you know, in a tragic case. A man’s best friend is a dog, and the dog was trying to, one last time, let them know that his owner was down and that we needed to get over there to help.”
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Speaking previously with the Mirror, Certificated Clinical Animal Behaviourist Rosie Bescoby said of the dogs: “It would have been really stressful for them. […] It would have been very traumatic for the dogs. Not only because it’s the fact that they’re witnessing their owners’ lifeless and non-responsive, but also, I presume, they would have been hungry. They would have been thirsty. They would not have had their normal routine.”
It’s unclear how long it would have taken for Bear and Nikita to realise that something was horribly wrong, and, according to Rosie, this may vary between dogs. In addition, Rosie, who works primarily with dogs, believes Bear and Nikita would have been “very, very confused” as life as they knew it became “unpredictable from their point of view.”
In April 2025, it was reported that both Bear and Nikita had finally been rehomed to new, loving families and were adjusting to life apart in different households.
Santa Fe Tails doggy day care owner, Joey Padilla, who had been caring for the pair since the tragedy, confirmed in an interview with the Daily Mail at the time that he had just returned from personally delivering one of the dogs out of state, while the other had found a home locally. Due to privacy concerns, Padilla declined to give specific details about their new locations, simply noting that they are no longer together.
In a later statement, Padilla explained that these placements had been approved by the couple’s estate attorney, revealing, “With great joy, and with the consent of the estate attorney, my team and I at Santa Fe Tails have successfully found new homes for Bear and Nikita. We made every effort to ensure they were placed in safe, caring environments, and both are already beginning to settle in.”
Expressing gratitude for the outpouring of support the dogs had received, Padilla continued: “We are thankful for the well wishes during their transition,” he added. “Our hope is that people continue to respect their privacy so they can continue to heal.”
While Gene had forged a career in the bright lights of Hollywood, both he and Betsy lived a more reclusive life in their later years, “didn’t want to be bothered”, as per their neighbours. Others living within the same secluded gated community reportedly rarely caught a glimpse of the famous couple, with one neighbour telling the New York Times,”They have a gate, and we have a gate, and we just have never even seen each other.” Another local chimed in: “He wanted to be quiet, he didn’t want to be bothered, and I don’t blame him.”
Back in 1990, Gene welcomed Architectural Digest into his home, offering fans a peek inside the property. “We bought a few things in Santa Fe. Other things came from auctions in New York, an antiques shop in Germany that Betsy and I found, and from Los Angeles. It’s a nice combination of soft southwestern pieces and hard-edged antiques,” he shared then.
However, reports suggest that the ranch-style house, now on the market for $6.25 million (approximately £4.6 million), had been in “a mess” before the couple’s heartbreaking deaths. “The inside of the house was shocking,” a source revealed to MailOnline. “They didn’t have a housekeeper or a maid, so it had beautiful things – furniture and paintings – but there was dog poop on the floor.” The source further added: “The inside of the house was bad. Nothing had been dusted. There was nothing in the fridge.”
Gene and Betsy had no children together, though the actor was father to son Christopher Allen, 65, and daughters Leslie Anne, 58, and Elizabeth Jean, 62, from a previous relationship. Following their deaths, Leslie paid tribute to Betsy for “keeping him alive” and said they had a “wonderful marriage”. Speaking to the publication, she said: “They had a wonderful marriage. And I give credit to his wife, Betsy, for keeping him alive. [Betsy] took very, very good care of him and was always looking out for his health. So I am appreciative to her for that, and I’m very saddened by her passing.”
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