Gene Hackman Was Found Dead In His Santa Fe Home On February 26th

Long-time friends Clint Eastwood and Gene Hackman (Photo by Kypros/Getty Images)

Deputies found Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife, Betsy, 63, along with one of their dogs, deceased when they entered their residence around 1:45 PM for a wellness check.

An initial statement from the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office indicated that there were no signs of foul play.

Deadline shared a statement from the Santa Fe Sherrif’s office that read,

“On February 26, 2025 at approximately 1:45 p.m., Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park where Gene Hackman, 95 and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64 [most reports state she was 63, so this detail may be incorrect], and a dog were found deceased. Foul play is not suspected as a factor in those deaths at this time, however exact cause of death has not been determined. This is an active and ongoing investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.”

However, as of 2:30 PM Eastern Time on Saturday, ABC News reported the release of a search warrant affidavit regarding the couple’s deaths.

It stated that the couple’s deaths were “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.”

The investigation is still ongoing. No cause of death has been found as of February 27th at 4 PM CST.

Clint Eastwood Shared A Heartfelt Post For His Lost Friend

On February 27th, Gene’s longtime friend and co-star Clint Eastwood shared a heartfelt post.

The two actors shared the screen in the 1992 film Unforgiven. The film was directed by Clint Eastwood, who also starred as William Munny. Gene Hackman portrayed Little Bill Daggett, and his performance earned him the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1992.

According to IMDB, the film is about a “Retired Old West gunslinger Will Munny [who] reluctantly takes on one last job to avenge an injustice with the help of his old partner and a newer outlaw known simply as The Schofield Kid.”

In the post that Clint shared for his friend and costar, he expressed his sadness at his passing and mentioned that he will miss him.

See the post from the old friends below.

Rest in peace Gene And Betsy.