Breed of dog found with Gene Hackman and wife misidentified, pet expert says

The Guardian

05-03-2025

Authorities misidentified a deceased dog while investigating the deaths of the actor Gene Hackman and his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, according to a pet care specialist.
The news comes as authorities have been searching for answers after the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa, whose partially mummified bodies were discovered on 26 February at their Santa Fe home. Hackman and Arakawa may have died more than a week earlier, the Santa Fe county sheriff, Adan Mendoza, said.
Investigators initially noted the discovery of a 'deceased brown in color German-Shepard canine'. But the couple's German shepherd, named Bear, survived along with a second dog named Nikita.
However, the couple's kelpie mix, Zinna, died, according to Joey Padilla, owner of the Santa Fe Tails pet care facility that is involved in the surviving dogs' care.
The dog that died 'was always attached to Betsy at the hip and it was a beautiful relationship', Padilla said in an email statement on Tuesday. 'Zinna went from being a returned shelter dog to this incredible companion under Betsy's hand.'
Authorities did not perform a necropsy on Zinna, who was found in a kennel in a bathroom closet near Arakawa, a sheriff's office spokesperson said.
USA Today first reported on the mistaken identification of the dead dog.
Medical investigators are still working to clarify the cause of deaths but the results of toxicology reports may not be available for months, the sheriff said last week.
Arakawa's body was found with an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on the bathroom countertop, while Hackman's remains were found in the home's entryway.
There were no indications of trauma to their bodies, the sheriff has said. The two bodies both have tested negative for carbon monoxide, a colorless and odorless gas that is a byproduct of fuel burned in some home appliances and can be fatal in poorly ventilated homes. No gas leaks were discovered in or around the home.
On Tuesday, the sheriff's office also said that a more extensive utility company inspection found that one burner on a stove in the house had a minuscule leak that could not be lethal.
Authorities retrieved personal items from the home, including a monthly planner and two cellphones that will be analyzed.