Gene Hackman and his wife's deaths 'could be a similar timeframe': fire chief

Fox News

06-03-2025

SANTA FE, N.M.– Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya is sharing his opinion about when Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa died on Feb. 26.
Moya told Fox News Digital, "Just because both bodies were in similar ways where we, as experts, sad to say that we know a lot about how people die and how long people are dead for – both bodies are in a similar manner that it could be a similar timeframe."
Although Moya was not a first responder to the 911 call to Hackman's home, he was told that the property sprawled over 9,000 square feet and consisted of three structures.
The fire chief explained that his paramedic told him once he returned from the Hackman residence that Gene, Betsy and their dog — who was later identified as Zinna — were found in the "same building." According to Moya, the property had three separate structures.
"They checked every residence for gas leaks," he said. Hackman and Arakawa tested negative for carbon monoxide, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed at Friday's press conference.
At the press conference, Mendoza also confirmed the last recorded activity on Hackman's pacemaker occurred on Feb. 17. Authorities assumed this was Hackman's last day alive, as the Oscar winner's body was not discovered for nine more days.
"Just because both bodies were in similar ways where we, as experts, sad to say that we know a lot about how people die and how long people are dead for – both bodies are in a similar manner that it could be a similar timeframe."
Moya told Fox News Digital that since he's been chief, which has been for three years, the Santa Fe Fire Department and emergency medical services (EMS) have not responded to any calls at the Hackman residence.
WATCH: Gene Hackman and his wife's deaths 'could be a similar timeframe': fire chief
According to Moya, the Santa Fe Fire Department was last involved with the investigation on Thursday, Feb. 27, and the case is in the Sheriff's Department's hands at this point.
Circumstances surrounding the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa remain a mystery to Santa Fe, New Mexico, authorities as they work backwards and piece together evidence to figure out how the couple died.
New Mexico officials found Hackman, Arakawa and one of their dogs dead in their home one week ago. Detectives described their deaths as "suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation," according to a search warrant affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital.
Hackman and Arakawa were found by maintenance workers Jesse Kesler and Roland Lowe Begay. Kesler, who worked as a personal contractor for the couple for 16 years, made the frantic 911 call on Feb. 26.
Detectives recovered two cellphones, an orange prescription bottle and a 2025 planner while inspecting the residence, the search warrant affidavit stated.
Officials also revealed that Arakawa's body was found decomposed with bloating on her face and mummification in her hands and feet. Per the search warrant affidavit, the deceased dog was found "10-15 feet" from Arakawa in a closet of the bathroom.
Hackman was also found to have the same signs of decomposition as his wife. According to the search warrant affidavit, Deputy Thomas suspected Hackman had "suddenly fallen" at the time of his death.
WATCH: First responders haven't had any calls to Gene Hackman and his wife's home in over three years: fire chief
Recently, sheriffs confirmed a misstep in the investigation after wrongly identifying the dog found dead in the Hackman home.
The dog that was found dead near Arakawa's body was misidentified by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department in the investigation, Fox News Digital confirmed.
The owner of Santa Fe Tails, the pet care facility that took in Hackman's two other surviving dogs, explained that the dead dog was a different breed than what is listed in the search warrant affidavit.
Zinna, a mixed breed, was found in a kennel in a bathroom closet near Arakawa. However, investigators initially noted the discovery of a "deceased brown in color German-Shepard canine," the search warrant stated.
Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Denise Womack-Avila acknowledged that deputies initially misidentified the breed of the deceased dog.
"Our deputies, they don't work with canines on a daily basis," she said, according to The Associated Press.
Arakawa and Hackman did have two German Shepherds: Bear, 4, and Nikita, 7.