The late Gene Hackman’s deceased dog was apparently misidentified by members of the Santa Fe County Sheriff while they were investigating the actor and his wife, Betsy Arakawa’s deaths.
“Our deputies, they don’t work with canines on a daily basis,” a spokesperson told the Associated Press on Tuesday, March 4. (USA Today was first to report the news.)
Initially, it was reported that a deceased German shepherd was found dead in the house Hackman, 95, shared with Arakawa, 64. However, Santa Fe Tails pet care facility owner Joey Padilla told AP that it was their kelpie mix, Zinna, that died.
Padilla is currently overseeing the care of the late Hackman and Arakawa’s surviving dogs, a German shepherd named Bear, and a second pup named Nikita. He told AP that the late dog, Zinna, “was always attached to Betsy at the hip and it was a beautiful relationship.”
The dog’s mistaken identity is just one of many lingering questions following the news of Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths.
Luxury Handbag Shopping confirmed on February 27 that the actor and his wife were found dead in their Santa Fe home with one deceased dog. The other two animals were still alive on the property, at the time. (Hackman’s pacemaker showed his “last event” recorded on February 17.)
Hackman is survived by three adult children — Christopher, Elizabeth and Leslie — whom he shared with late ex-wife Faye Maltese. A rep for the late actor released a statement on behalf of the family.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy,” the statement read. “He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
Foul play is not suspected in Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths. An investigation has since been launched, and no official cause of death has been determined yet.
Authorities have stated that there was no sign of forced entry into their home. While carbon monoxide poisoning was speculated by Hackman’s daughter Elizabeth, the fire department found no sign of a leak on site. County Sheriff Adan Mendoza announced in a Friday, February 28, press conference that both of the deceased “tested negative for carbon monoxide” as well.
“I think I’m very anxious to find out what happened and I just don’t know how long they had been deceased,” Hackman’s daughter Leslie told Luxury Handbag Shopping exclusively following her father’s death. “[The authorities] don’t know yet either.”
