Fresh updates emerge from Gene Hackman death probe

Prominent actor Gene Hackman, 95, had likely been dead for nine days at the time of first responders finding his body and that of his classical pianist partner Betsy, 64, at their home, the local sheriff said on Friday.

This is a key update from the probe launched into the superstar and 2-time Oscar recipient’s sudden death. The sheriff told reporters that the partially mummified bodies had no external injuries but initial tests found no sign of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Santa Fe Sheriff Mendoza highlighted that an initial interrogation had been conducted of Hackman’s pacemaker. This found that his last event had been recorded on February 17, 2025 – possibly his last day of life.

Gene Hackman is famous for his characters. He is perhaps most prominent as cop Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in the 1971 crime thriller “The French Connection”. He got an Oscar for this role and a second one for sheriff “Little Bill” Daggett in the 1992 “Unforgiven”.