On Wednesday, February 26th, the Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife’s bodies were found in their home in New Mexico, along with the dead body of a German Shepherd. Authorities have initiated a criminal investigation into the deaths of the couple. Officials stated that the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the Hackmans are suspicious, indicating they may have been deceased for several days or even weeks.
Investigators discovered the bodies of the Hackmans, aged 95 and 65, during a search of their residence in Santa Fe on Wednesday. The bodies appeared to have been deceased for several days or possibly weeks. Sheriff Adan Mendoza of Santa Fe County revealed on NBC’s “Today Show” on Friday, February 28th, that investigators are trying to determine the last time someone saw or spoke with the couple.
“This is a challenge as they were very private individuals,” the sheriff stated. He mentioned that the results of the autopsy may take several months.
Gene Hackman was found dead at the entrance of the house, while his wife, a classical pianist, was discovered lying on her side in the bathroom on Wednesday. A deceased German Shepherd was found in a dog shed near Mrs. Hackman on Thursday, according to Sheriff Mendoza.
Detectives believe that the suspicious nature of the deaths of the Hackmans warrants a thorough investigation. Officials confirmed that there were no visible external traumas on the bodies of the couple. The case is still under review, pending autopsy and toxicology results.
According to a search warrant obtained by Fox News Digital Channel, officials revealed that Hackman’s wife’s body was in an advanced state of decomposition, with facial swelling and limb mummification. Hackman also exhibited signs of decomposition similar to his wife’s.
Former NYPD cold case investigator Joseph Giacalone raised questions about the skin color of the decomposing bodies, although this was not mentioned in the search warrant.
“Was the house really hot? Were they wearing a lot of clothing? High temperatures can accelerate the process of decay,” Giacalone mentioned. “You have to look at different stages like liver mortis, the purplish discoloration of the body, and the dependent areas where blood settles after the heart stops beating. These are rough estimates of the situation.”
He added, “How long have the bodies been there? You can usually determine that by the degree of rigor mortis. So, from the investigators’ perspective, there are clues. These are things that ultimately the medical examiner or forensic pathologist will consider. But detectives often have a good sense of what they are looking at.”
When two Santa Fe County patrol officers arrived at the scene, they approached the residence and found the front door half-open. According to arrest warrant information, there were no signs of forced entry into the residence.
Upon entering the house, officers immediately found a bathroom on the left side of the front door. The bathroom door was ajar, and they discovered Mrs. Hackman’s body lying on the floor.
Near Mrs. Hackman’s body, an orange pill bottle was found with pills scattered on the counter.
Former forensic death investigator Joseph Scott Morgan discussed the ongoing investigation on Fox News’ “America Reports” program on Thursday.
“We’ve heard about pills being scattered around, and pills being ingested are two completely different scenarios,” Morgan stated.
Morgan expressed his interest in learning more about the heater found near Mrs. Hackman’s body, in addition to testing for carboxyhemoglobin levels.
“You have to be very thorough, very meticulous. They’ll do a full-body X-ray, and before doing the full autopsy, they’ll do a detailed external exam,” Morgan noted.
Former NYC Chief Medical Examiner, forensic pathologist, and Fox News contributor Michael Baden explained that authorities are likely awaiting a toxicology report including tests for carbon monoxide poisoning.
“It looks like they died from some kind of toxicity,” Baden said. “I think the first thing they’ll check is carbon monoxide because if there’s carbon monoxide in the body, it doesn’t disappear.”
Baden elaborated that carbon monoxide “binds tightly to red blood cells, staying there for years,” and indicated that a key sign of carbon monoxide poisoning is “skin color.”
“The skin is cherry red, an immediate giveaway for carbon monoxide poisoning, but in decomposing bodies, you can’t see that color,” Baden explained.
Regarding the mummification process of the bodies, various factors, including weather conditions, may play a role. Baden suggested that due to higher temperatures, this process might occur within several days to a week.
In this perplexing case of death, questions arise about how the two dogs managed to survive without their owners’ care. The exact time of the deaths of the Hackmans remains unclear. However, the search warrant indicates that the two surviving dogs were found to be in “good health.”
Dog trainer and nutritionist Maria Dello explained to Fox News Digital Channel that German Shepherds would never harm their owners, especially in such circumstances.
“They will protect them. These dogs will die for you,” Dello said. “They are such loyal companions. They are born for their owners.”
The deceased dog was found in the dog shed in the bathroom, near Mrs. Hackman’s body, while two healthy dogs were also present in the house. One was wandering around, and the other was near Mrs. Hackman’s body.
According to the Associated Press, a resident from the same community who alerted authorities and another worker later informed them that they rarely saw the homeowners, with their last contact with the Hackmans being approximately two weeks ago.
Sheriff Mendoza told NBC’s “Today Show” that there were conflicting accounts about which doors in the house were locked. Some doors were unlocked, one back door was open, and the two surviving dogs could freely move in and out. He also mentioned that he believed the front door was closed but not locked.