Cardiac arrest and an accident: medical examiner theorizes how actor Gene Hackman, his wife and dog died

American actor, two-time Oscar winner Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on February 26. Their deaths remain mysterious, but forensic expert Michael Baden has theorized that the tragedy could have been caused by an accident.

According to law enforcement agencies, their bodies were found in different parts of the house, and a dead dog was also found next to the woman. The police noted that the couple had been dead for several days at the time of the discovery. This was reported by People.

At a press conference on February 28, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said that Hackman's pacemaker last worked on February 17, nine days before he was found. This may indicate that the actor died on that day.

Michael Baden, the former chief medical examiner of New York, suggested that Gene Hackman's death could have been caused by cardiac arrest. "The autopsy showed that he had no injuries. There was no carbon monoxide. And he had the most common cause of death in this country - severe heart disease, coronary artery disease and high blood pressure," Baden said.

Probable cause of death of Betsy Arakawa

The expert also drew attention to the circumstances in which Betsy Arakawa was found. Her body was found in the bathroom next to a bottle of medicine and a heater. The forensic expert suggests that the woman could have found her husband unconscious and rushed to get his blood pressure medication. Police documents state that thyroid pills, blood pressure medication and Tylenol (paracetamol) were found in the bathroom.

Baden speculated that Arakawa may have slipped or lost her balance due to stress and fallen, sustaining an internal head injury. "She may have hit her head during the fall and sustained some kind of internal brain injury that doesn't show up on the outside, or bleeding from inside the brain," he said.

Why the dog could have died

Another mystery was the death of one of the couple's pets, a German shepherd. Her body was found a few feet away from Arakawa.

Baden explained that if the dog had no access to water and food for nine days, it could have died of dehydration. However, the other two dogs, who were also near the house, survived. The police have not yet commented on what could have led to the death of only one animal.

Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that the police called the death of the actor and his wife suspicious. The results of toxicology tests are currently expected. The front door of the apartment was open. But no signs of forced entry were found. There are also no signs of theft or robbery.

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