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Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead at their home last month with no suspicion of foul play, but one tragic detail has now been announced.
The bodies of the 95-year-old and his 65-year-old classical pianist partner were discovered at their home in the Santa Fe Summit community northeast of the city, in New Mexico, last Wednesday (26 February).
After police ruled out any indication of a possible homicide, speculation has circled over how the pair had died - with Gene's daughter, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, previously speaking out suspecting carbon monoxide poisoning was to blame.
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Yet initial tests carried out by the Santa Fe City Fire Department showed there were 'no signs' of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning.
The pair are understood to have died while in the same building in separate rooms, alongside one of their three dogs - named Zinna.
Now, Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya has given a major update in the case after establishing a tragic detail regarding their deaths - that it is to his understanding that they died at similar times.
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"Just because both bodies were in similar ways where we, as experts, sad to say that we know a lot about how people die and how long people are dead for – both bodies are in a similar manner that it could be a similar timeframe," he told Fox News Digital on Wednesday (March 5).
He also confirmed that the last recorded activity to have taken place on Gene's pacemaker occurred on February 17 - nine days before their bodies were discovered.
New Mexico Gas Company also confirmed that there are 'no significant findings' in the couple's home related to gas leaks or carbon monoxide, reports Variety.
However, gas workers did find a 'minuscule' leak around a stove burner, which showed 0.33 percent gas in the air, but determined it was 'not a lethal amount.'
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The gas company noted four other 'red tag' code enforcement violations, not involving gas or carbon monoxide, around a water heater and gas log lighters in three fireplaces.
The sheriff's office has also mentioned that natural gas is 'not believed to be a factor.'
As per Associated Press, Gene was found in a mudroom while his wife was in a bathroom next to a space heater. In the bathroom, an open prescription bottle was discovered, as well as pills scattered on the counter top.
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Such information was divulged in a Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office search warrant.
In addition to this, Denise Avila, a sheriff’s office spokesperson, confirmed that Betsy and Gene had no gunshot wounds or any other type of wounds.
