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Santa Fe, N.M. (AP) – Examination of dogs with actor Gene Hackman and his wife who died in their Santa Fe family is likely to have resulted in the demise of the animal.
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A report obtained by the Associated Press from the Santa Fe County Animal Control Agency details partial mummification and notes that while severe breakdowns may mask changes in the organ, there is no evidence that infectious diseases, trauma or poisoning can lead to death.
The report notes that, except for a small amount of hair and bile, dogs’ stomachs are mostly empty.
Kelpie Mix, named Zinna, is one of the couple’s three dogs. It was found dead in a box in a bathroom closet near Betsy Arakawa’s body, while two other dogs survived.
Authorities confirmed last week that Hackman died of heart disease, complications of Alzheimer’s disease, and about a week later, the rare rodent disease – Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome – killed his wife’s life. In the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, Hackman clearly did not realize that his wife was dead.
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Hackman was found at the entrance of the house and Arakawa was found in the bathroom. Like dogs, their bodies are broken down by mummification, a result of body shape and climate in Santa Fe’s particularly dry air, at an altitude of nearly 7,200 feet (2,200 meters).
Joey Padilla, owner of the Santafe Tail Care Facilities, said Sinia went from returning asylum dog to an incredible companion, always around Arakawa.
Born in Hawaii, Arakawa studied concert pianist, attended the University of Southern California, and met with Hackman while working at a California gym in the mid-1980s.
Hackman was a Hollywood idol, winning two Oscars in the films The French Connection, “Hoosiers” and “Superman” (from the 1960s) from the 1960s until he retired in the early 2000s.
After moving to Santa Fe decades ago, the two lived a private life. A representative of the couple’s legacy cites privacy seeking to block autopsy and investigative reports related to their deaths, especially photos and videos. This will be considered by the state district judge.
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