Gene Hackman’s nephew Tim Hackman has hit out the numerous ‘negative’ theories that have surrounded the actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa. 

Last week, the pair’s mummified bodies were found inside their $3.8 million Sante Fe house along with one of their three dogs named Zinna. The award-winning actor had been age 95 and Arakawa was 65.

The Sante Fe County Sheriff’s Office has called the deaths ‘suspicious’ while various theories have begun circulating in regards to what had caused their mysterious pᴀssing – such as ‘companion suicide’ or toxic gas. 

However most recently, the gas company revealed following a thorough investigation that there were ‘no significant findings’ of gas leaks or carbon monoxide inside the house. 

‘We’re waiting on toxicology. That will tell us everything,’ Tim Hackman informed Us Weekly on Monday. ‘It’s hard to theorize. There are lots of theories out there and I don’t want to speculate. It’s easy to speculate negative theories.’

Gene’s nephew – whose father was Richard Hackman and a stuntman for Gene – added, ‘The family wants to keep it positive for now and when we know the truth we will deal with it.’

Gene Hackman’s nephew Tim has hit out the numerous ‘negative’ theories that have surrounded the actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa; Hackman seen in 2003 in Beverly Hills 

Tim also explained to Us Weekly that the description of how the actor and his wife’s bodies – as well as their dog Zinna – were found have left many unanswered questions. 

‘My uncle was 95-years-old at an age where you think about, “Okay, it’s time.” But from the circumstances now things have changed a bit. It’s a major change.’ 

Hackman was notably found in the mud room inside their residence next to a can and glᴀsses. Betsy was discovered lying on the bathroom floor while prescription pills were strewn across the counter nearby. 

Two of their dogs were found alive on the property – while Zinna was found locked in a kennel inside a bathroom closet. 

With investigations still underway, Tim recalled his last meeting with Gene 11 years earlier when he attended his father Richard’s (Gene’s brother) funeral. 

‘He was [living] in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I would call Betsy and give an update on the kids. He’d come to California just to see his family or for the weather,’ he explained to the outlet. 

Tim said that Hackman was ‘like any other family member’ – but he was still aware of the Oscar winner’s fame. 

‘For me personally, it’s something I would find strange because I was a fan and a nephew. There were moments of, “Wow, Gene Hackman is in front of me.”‘ 

Gene’s nephew – whose father was Richard Hackman and a stuntman for Gene – added, ‘The family wants to keep it positive for now and when we know the truth we will deal with it’; Gene and Betsy seen in March 2024 in Santa Fe

‘My uncle was 95-years-old at an age where you think about, “Okay, it’s time.” But from the circumstances now things have changed a bit. It’s a major change,’ Tim said; Officers seen outside of Hackman’s residence on February 27

The star’s nephew also shared that the Hollywood star had been ‘a reconnaissance Marine radio man [and] he felt he didn’t deserve the тιтle but he earned it. 

‘He represented the Marines with pride in his own way. They say Marines lead the way and my uncle sure did and I’m very, very proud.’

Read More Did Gene Hackman and wife Betsy die by ‘companion suicide’? Expert weighs in

Over the past weekend on Sunday, Gene was paid tribute during the 97th Annual Academy Awards. 

Morgan Freeman – who worked alongside Hackman on films such as Under Suspicion – talked about the actor’s legacy on stage. 

‘Well, this week, our community lost a giant, and I lost a dear friend, Gene Hackman. I had the pleasure of working alongside Gene on two films, Unforgiven and Under suspicion.

‘And like everyone who ever shared a scene with him, I learned he was a generous performer, a man whose gifts elevated everyone’s work. He received two Oscars, but more importantly, he won the hearts of film lovers all over the world.

‘Gene always said, “I don’t think about legacy. I just hope people remember me as someone who tried to do good work,”‘ he added. 

‘I think I speak for us all when I say, Gene, you will be remembered for that, and so much more. Rest in peace, my friend.’ 

In regards to Freeman’s message to the late actor, Tim expressed, ‘[I] thought they did a good job. I was touched by that.’ 

Over the past weekend on Sunday, Gene was paid tribute during the 97th Annual Academy Awards (seen above)

Morgan Freeman – who worked alongside Hackman on films such as Under Suspicion – talked about the actor’s legacy on stage

The shocking discovery of Gene and Betsy’s bodies has puzzled investigators, who are still trying to determine how and when the couple died.

Hackman and Arakawa were found by a neighborhood security officer after pest-control workers reported not being able to get in touch with the residents.

Authorities investigating the couple’s deaths have already said a ᴅᴇᴀᴅly carbon monoxide leak is unlikely.

An expert who is not involved in the investigation on Tuesday weighed in on another theory recently bandied about – that Hackman and Arakawa may have died by ‘companion suicide.’

James Gill, Chief Medical Examiner for the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, told People Magazine that the theory is an unlikely explanation for the puzzling deaths.

Gill, who said he had dealt in the past with ‘cases like that,’ explained that couples who die in a dual suicide are ‘usually… together in bed.’

However, police have said that Hackman was found ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in the house’s mud room, with his can and sunglᴀsses near him on the ground. Arakawa was discovered lying on the bathroom floor with prescription pills strewn across the nearby countertop.

‘The fact that they’re in two separate locations tells me that I think that’s less likely,’ Gill continued.

The medical examiner said that the initial information about the scene makes it appear as if Hackman had ‘collapsed.’ ‘He’s got a history of heart disease. He’s got a pacemaker. So that would not be unusual,’ he said.

An expert who is not involved in the investigation on Tuesday weighed in on another theory recently bandied about – that Hackman and Arakawa may have died by ‘companion suicide’; seen in 1994

‘The fact that they’re in two separate locations tells me that I think that’s less likely,’ Gill continued; seen in 1991 in California 

Another detail Gill focused on was the fact that Hackman was ‘ambulatory’ before his death, which he thought decreased the likelihood of a scenario in which he was left potentially helpless if Arakawa had died first.

‘Sometimes we’ll see instances where someone is bedridden and maybe they have dementia and then their caregiver dies from a natural event, and then there’s no one there to take care of them, and then they can die from dehydration or what have you,’ he explained. ‘I don’t think that’s the case in this.’

That information could be particularly useful to compare to when Arakawa may have died, though Gill admits ‘that’s a little bit of a more gray area.’

And the gas company aiding in the investigation into the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa discovered a ‘minuscule leak’ in their Santa Fe home, but has determined it was ‘not lethal.’ 

Early speculation by Hackman’s daughter Elizabeth Jean was that her father and his wife may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning or other ‘toxic fumes.’ 

But after an extensive investigation, the New Mexico Gas Company made ‘no significant findings’ of gas leaks or carbon monoxide in the home, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed in a statement to DailyMail.com.

The gas company did, however, issue five ‘red tags’ including one for the minor leak at the stove burner, which registered ‘0.03 per cent gas in the air’ and is ‘not a lethal amount.’

‘The other four red tags were for code enforcement violations – not involving gas leaks or carbon monoxide – involving a water heater and gas log lighters installed in three fireplaces,’ police said.

Authorities believe Hackman and Arakawa, whose bodies were partially mummified at the time of discovery, likely died a couple weeks before they were found.

And the gas company aiding in the investigation into the deaths of Hackman and Arakawa discovered a ‘minuscule leak’ in their Santa Fe home, but has determined it was ‘not lethal’

Tests on Hackman’s pacemaker revealed that he was alive on February 17 when a ‘last event’ was recorded – nine days before his body was discovered. Police say it is a ‘reasonable ᴀssumption’ that he died when his pacemaker had its ‘last event.’ 

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza during a press conference last week on Friday confirmed that both Hackman and Arakawa ‘tested negative for carbon monoxide.’

‘An initial interrogation was conducted of Mr Hackman’s pacemaker,’ he said. ‘This revealed that his last event was recorded February 17 2025, I was advised that a more thorough investigation will be completed.’

Mendoza said the ‘initial findings noted no external trauma to either individual’, but reiterated the ‘manner and cause of death has not been determined.’ He also said there were ‘no apparent signs of foul play.’

‘The official results of the autopsy and toxicology reports are pending,’ he added.

New Mexico Gas Company tested gas lines in and around the home after the bodies were discovered, according to a search warrant, and no signs of problems were found.

Officers are still trying to piece together the couple’s last known contact with other people but ‘that’s one of our challenges because of their privacy,’ Mendoza said.

The sheriff had previously said there were several conflicting stories about which doors were locked at the house – he said several were unlocked and a rear door was open, which allowed two dogs that survived to go in and out.

He also said he thought the front door was closed but unlocked. Two other dogs were found alive at the property, one inside and one outside.

Tests on Hackman’s pacemaker revealed that he was alive on February 17 when a ‘last event’ was recorded – nine days before his body was discovered; seen in 2001 in L.A. 

Gene and Betsy’s other two dogs named Bear and Nikita are currently being cared for, per Joey Padilla – who is the owner of the Santa Fe Tails pet care. 

A doggy door allowed the two dogs to be able to go in and out of the house, and likely found food outside that kept them alive, according to ABC News. 

Cops investigating the pair’s mysterious deaths have admitted to misidentifying the dog that was found deceased along with them in their home.

Hackman and Arakawa were both found ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in the $3.8 million home in separate rooms by a caretaker around 1:45pm last Wednesday.

The alarm had been raised by a maintenance person doing pest control at the property, who was concerned because he had not seen the couple, police said.

A search was carried out after the bodies were discovered and several items were ‘secured from the residence for evidentiary purposes’.

These included two green mobile phones, two bottles of medication, medical records and a 2025 monthly planner. Work is now being done to ‘sift through cell phones’ and to look through a calendar found near the couple’s bodies.

Contact will also be made with workers, security staff and family members.

Mendoza said there is nothing which suggests the couple fell, adding: ‘I don’t think, you know, there was any indication that, again, there was no trauma or injured themselves, or head injury or brain injury.’

His daughters Elizabeth and Leslie, and his granddaughter Annie, said they will miss the actor ‘sorely’ and are ‘devastated by the loss.’

Officers are still trying to piece together the couple’s last known contact with other people but ‘that’s one of our challenges because of their privacy,’ Mendoza said

Former FBI agent Bill Daly also suggested that food poisoning could have been a possible cause in their deaths; seen in 2003 in Beverly Hills 

News of their mysterious deaths has left friends, fans, and the local community baffled.

Former FBI agent Bill Daly also suggested that food poisoning could have been a possible cause in their deaths. 

‘Toxicology – there could have been some other type of poisoning, possibly food?’ he told Fox News.

‘They’ll go through their trash, fridge…this is stuff the police can do in the meantime while gathering evidence. There are a number of possibilities.’