Actor Gene Hackman was found dead on Thursday alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and one of their dogs, in their mansion in New Mexico. The circumstances of their deaths are currently unknown, although authorities have described it as "suspicious," and what is known is that they had been dead for several days and their bodies were found in different rooms.
The Santa Fe Sheriff's Office has announced that, according to the preliminary autopsies conducted on the two-time Oscar-winning actor and his wife, "there is no external trauma on either of the bodies." The investigation continues as the causes and circumstances of their deaths are still unknown, as reported by CNN.
According to County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, there are no "obvious" signs of foul play in the deaths of both individuals, and there are no signs of a struggle or robbery inside the residence. However, the circumstances of their deaths are "sufficiently suspicious" to warrant an investigation. "The autopsy will be key, as well as the toxicology study," he added.
Next to his wife's body, found in the mansion's bathroom alongside a deceased dog, there was an open pill bottle with some pills scattered on the floor. Among the suspicious elements found in the residence was that the door was open; apparently, maintenance staff were the ones who discovered the deceased couple.