Gene Hackman’s Cause of Death: Why Police Are Ruling Out Carbon Monoxide Poisoning for Now

Authorities investigating Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa‘s deaths do not believe the couple died of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65—as well as one of their dogs—were found dead at their New Mexico home on Feb. 26, according to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office. 

In a Feb. 28 press conference, Sheriff Adan Mendoza said investigators have ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning as the cause of death for now, because a local pathologist determined both individuals tested negative for the poisonous gas.

“At the time of death, they were negative for carbon monoxide, which means to me that is possibly ruled out,” he shared. “Right now, there’s no indication that that has any anything to do with it.”

However, Mendoza noted the police will continue to discuss with the pathologist to “make sure.”

“But it sounds like that’s ruled out,” he added. “Unless there’s something else that comes back in the toxicology report that that we have to look.”