Gene Hackman cops admit huge crime scene blunder as mystery surrounding actor’s death deepens

By EMMA RICHTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: 21:49 GMT, 4 March 2025 | Updated: 22:00 GMT, 4 March 2025

Cops investigating Gene Hackman and his wife’s mysterious deaths have admitted to misidentifying the dog that was found deceased along with them in their home. 

Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, were both found dead in the $3.8 million home in separate rooms by a caretaker around 1.45pm in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Wednesday.

Police initially said the couple’s German Shepherd Bear was found deceased in its kennel inside the home, but the pup was actually alive and healthy at a pet day care center in Santa Fe along with their other dog Nikita, a seven-year-old Akita-shepherd mix, according to USA Today. 

The dog that was actually found dead in the home with the couple was Zinna, their 12-year-old reddish Australian Kelpie mixed breed, Sherry Gaber, a friend of the couple, told the outlet. 

Gaber, an animal chiropractor, was already thrown off by the news of Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths, but when she heard about Bear, she couldn’t wrap her head around it. 

Just five months prior, Gaber said she adjusted Bear, who was happy and healthy. 

‘I can’t handle that image,’ Gaber said, recalling news of Bear’s apparent death.  ‘That’s why this whole thing is so distressing. It just doesn’t add up.’ 

Nikita and Bear are both staying at Santa Fe Tails, a local pet daycare, according to Joey Padilla, the owner of the facility. 

It is unclear how the deceased dog was misidentified, but a spokeswoman with the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office told the outlet she wasn’t aware of the mix-up.  

Cops admitted to misidentifying the wrong dog who was found dead along with Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa on Wednesday. (Pictured: The couple with their previous dogs in 2005) 

Police initially said the couple’s German Shepherd Bear was found deceased in its kennel inside the home, but the pup was actually alive and healthy at a pet day care center in Santa Fe along with their other dog Nikita

‘Our deputies do not deal with canines on a daily basis and I cannot currently speak to the condition or state of the dog’s body upon discovery,’ Denise Womack-Avila told the outlet. 

This is a breaking news story. Updates to come.  

 

 

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Gene Hackman cops admit huge crime scene blunder as mystery surrounding actor’s death deepens

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