Gene Hackman, wife Betsy Arakawa deaths: One year later Santa Fe reflects

A year after his death Gene Hackman And his wife, Betsy Arakawa, inside their quiet Santa Fe home, the people closest to the couple reflect on the intensely private life they shared — and the dedication that defined their final chapter.

Close friends and others in the community say dignity, love and privacy shaped nearly every aspect of the couple’s life in New Mexico, and even influenced the circumstances surrounding their deaths.

Fishing instructor Ivan Valdez, who owns The Reel Life in Santa Fe, told Fox News Digital about taking Hackman on his first guided trip after Arakawa arranged the outing.

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Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa were not seen for weeks before their bodies were discovered. (Ron Galella Collection/Ron Galella via Getty Images)

“We had a really good time,” Valdez said. “Once Gene was older in life, Betsy was really protective of him. Their public appearances in town were less frequent and far between… Gene was conscious of his health, and so was Betsy, and she always took good care of him.”

When crews arrived at the couple’s Hyde Park residence last February, Hackman’s fame was never the focus, former Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya told Fox News Digital.

“For the most part, we kept his dignity intact and made sure we held him in the highest regard,” Moya said. “He was a humble man. He wanted to make this his home. He didn’t just live here, he was part of the community.”

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“I think the takeaway has to be remembering the movies he did and the life he lived. He enjoyed a very private life here in Santa Fe, but he enjoyed what Santa Fe had to offer,” he added.

The bodies of Hackman and Arakawa were discovered in their home on February 26, 2025. (Jeffrey Mayer)

On February 26, 2025, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the couple’s home on Old Sunset Trail around 1:45 p.m. that day. Hackman, 95, Arakawa, 64, and one of their dogs were found dead inside the residence.

Officials later confirmed that Arakawa showed signs of advanced decomposition. The couple’s dog was discovered near her body in the bathroom closet. Two other dogs survived, one that was roaming the property and another that was found nearby.

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On March 7, authorities announced that Hackman died of high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease listed as a contributing factor. Arakawa died of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare disease transmitted by rodents, according to the British Daily Mail. New Mexico Department of Health.

The memory remains painful for those who discovered them.

Jesse Kessler, Hackman’s personal contractor and friend for nearly two decades, said the experience caused him “trauma” that still lingers.

Jesse Kessler, who discovered the bodies, said the entire experience surrounding the couple’s deaths “seemed like a bad dream.” (Getty Images)

“Finding two people who you worked for for 17 years, who you cared about, people who treated you like gold, and knowing that something was very wrong for two weeks, and then you finally went and found them…it was a shock, and it was brutal,” Kessler, who is writing a book about his experience called “Tears on Old Sunset Trail,” due out this summer, told Fox News Digital.

“It was like a bad dream,” he continued. “It was like I walked into a bad dream, not only finding them, but the way things played out at the scene, days later. You know, being a potential suspect…it was so emotional, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to deal with in my life, and it was hard, and it’s still hard.”

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Kessler noted that the couple’s commitment to privacy may have inadvertently delayed help.

“We knew something was very wrong,” he admitted. “And getting there…you can’t just show up.”

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He said he “would have liked” to have been able to check on the couple earlier, but “it didn’t work out that way.”

“You had to get permission to be on that property…the privacy issue played a role in it taking so long for us to be able to get help,” Kessler explained.

That privacy defined their life together in Santa Fe.

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The couple’s dedication extended to… Their animals. At the time of their deaths, three dogs were living on the property. One was found dead near Arakawa. Two survived.

Hackman and Arakawa have been longtime dog owners. (Animal Rescue, Inc./Ron Davis/Getty Images)

Joey Padilla, owner of Santa Fe Tales, said one year later The remaining dogs Prosperous.

“Both Bear and Nikki are doing very well,” Padilla said. “Nicky’s new mom is a saint and is being treated in a way that I know Jane and Betsy would be proud of. Bear lives in heaven and has a best friend to play with every day. His parents absolutely adore him and are amazing dog people.”

Friends say the bond between the pair was unmistakable.

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Steven Marshall, a longtime friend, described Hackman as “absolutely infatuated” with his wife.

Hackman won two Oscars, one in 1993 for “Unforgiven” and the other in 1972 for “The French Connection.” (AP Photo)

“You could see from the way he looked at her that he thought she was the world and that she treated him the same way,” Marshall said.

“It was a true love story and a lasting love story. They were together for a long time and that’s something you don’t see very often, especially in the world they were in. But it wasn’t just another Hollywood marriage. They were truly devoted to each other, the way she took care of him and the way he took care of her and the way they continued to entertain each other. You would sit there at dinner and people would tell stories, and it seemed every time they considered each other the most interesting person in the room.”

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Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner known for his iconic roles in The French Connection and Unforgiven, stepped away from acting in 2008.

“I won’t act anymore,” he said. Reuters at the time. “I really don’t want to do this anymore.”

Hackman (right) appears as Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in “The French Connection.” (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

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After retirement, he chose a quieter life – away from the spotlight – with the woman who was fiercely protective of him.

A year after their deaths, those close to Hackman and Arakawa say their legacy is defined not by tragedy, but by devotion — a partnership rooted in privacy and dignity and a love story that lasted long after Hollywood faded from view.