Authorities have clarified a mistake in their investigation into the mysterious deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa.
Investigators in New Mexico misidentified the deceased dog found near Arakawa’s body, leading to incorrect reports that the couple’s German shepherd Bear had died.
USA Today was the first outlet to report on the error. After inquiries from the media, a spokesperson for the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged the mistake noting, “Our deputies, they don’t work with canines on a daily basis.”
Bear survived, along with the couple’s other German shepherd Nikita. It was their kelpie mix Zinna that died.
Related: Gene Hackman Was Probably Dead 9 Days Before Help Arrived, Sheriff Says
Zinna was found lying 10 to 15 feet from Arakawa when sheriff’s deputies conducted a welfare check at the couple’s home on Wednesday, Feb. 26, after a neighborhood caretaker called 911.
A sheriff’s office spokesperson told the Associated Press that authorities did not perform a necropsy on Zinna, which could explain the mix up.
As previously reported, Hackman, 95, was found in the entryway of the home. Arakawa, 65, was discovered in a bathroom, lying on her side with a space heater near her head. Investigators believe she may have fallen and knocked over the heater. Zinna was located in a kennel inside the bathroom closet.
Authorities also found an open prescription bottle nearby, along with two cell phones and a 2025 monthly planner.
On March 4, the sheriff’s office posted an update on Instagram, sharing the New Mexico Gas Company’s investigation results. They stated that gas leaks and carbon monoxide were “not believed to be a factor in the deaths of Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa, or their dog.”
The findings have been forwarded to the office of the medical investigator for further review.
Last week the sheriff’s office said Hackman may have been deceased for nine days before being discovered.
The actor’s pacemaker stopped working on Feb. 17, nine days before the bodies were discovered, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told reporters at a news conference.
Hackman, an Oscar-winning actor, and Arakawa, a classical pianist, had been married since 1991.
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