Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning, but their cause of death remains unknown. Santa Fe County Sheriff Aden Mendoza said in a press conference on Friday that he spoke with the pathologist from the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator, who said that both Hackman and Arakawa tested negative for carbon monoxide.

Their family had previously said that they believed carbon monoxide poisoning may have caused their deaths, prompting police to order autopsies and toxicology reports. Sheriff Mendoza said that his department is still waiting for the report, which could take months, but that initial results seem to rule out carbon monoxide poisoning as a cause of death.

The Sheriff said that it’s likely that Hackman was dead for over a week before his body was discovered by maintenance workers on Wednesday, February 26. One of their pet dogs was also found dead. Two other dogs were found alive at the property, one inside and one outside.

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

The Sheriff added that “there were no apparent signs of foul play”.

It comes after preliminary findings from a medical investigation found Hackman and his wife suffered “no external trauma”.

Hackman’s body was found in a mud room at his, and his wife was found next to a space heater in a bathroom.

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.

Hackman’s daughters Elizabeth and Leslie, and his granddaughter Annie, said they will miss the actor “sorely” and are “devastated by the loss”.

A statement said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy.

“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.”