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When police revealed the circumstances of the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa, they disclosed that their bodies were partially "mummified" when they were discovered.
The investigation into the deaths of Betsy Arakawa and Gene Hackman is yielding more information.
Police were called to the home on February 26 for a routine welfare check and discovered the 95-year-old acting legend, his 64-year-old wife, and one of their three dogs dead. The Santa Fe Sheriff's Office has now offered more details on why investigators think the couple, who were married in 1991, had been dead for "at least a day."
An affidavit obtained by NBC News on February 27 stated that Arakawa's body was already exhibiting visible signs of decomposition. The body was discovered in the bathroom of the house, next to a space heater and a bottle of pills that was "open with pills scattered on the countertop," according to the document.
"The female decedent showed obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face," according to the declaration, "and mummification in both hands and feet."
According to Live Science, the mummification and bloating processes typically start 24 to 48 hours after a body has passed away.
The same was true of Hackman, who was found in the house's kitchen and thought to have "suddenly fallen" when they arrived. In order to secure a search warrant, the affidavit went on to state that "The male decedent also showed obvious signs of death, similar and consistent with the female decedent."
The Sante Fe Sheriff's Office stated that authorities have determined that the circumstances surrounding the tragedy are "suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation," in addition to offering insight into the timing of Hackman and Arakawa's deaths.
For starters, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office told NBC News that initial investigations revealed no outward indications of trauma. Nevertheless, the Santa Fe City Fire Department "did not locate signs of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning" when they responded to a request to perform carbon monoxide testing. The outlet stated that a cause of death has not yet been established.
Additionally, according to the affidavit, there were no indications of forced entry, but the couple's front door had been left open, which is what had prompted the call to authorities.
Hackman's friends, coworkers, and admirers spoke out in support of his legacy after the pair's tragic deaths.
"Gene Hackman (was) a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity," Coppola, Francis Ford—who directed the actor in 1974's The Conversation—wrote on Instagram Feb. 27. "I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution."
George Takei, the star of Star Wars, agreed, calling the Birdcage star "one of the true giants of the screen."
