Authorities release 911 call made from Gene Hackman home: ‘They’re not moving'

SANTA Fe, N.M. (Gray News) - Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife were found dead along with their dog in a New Mexico home on Wednesday.

According to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office, Hackman’s body was found in a mudroom and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, was found deceased in a bathroom next to a space heater.

Detectives said the couple’s death remains under investigation, but there was no indication they had been shot or had any wounds.

On Thursday, the 911 call that was made from the Hackman home that day was released by authorities in Santa Fe.

The caller said he was a maintenance worker and was calling after discovering the bodies, later identified as Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, inside the home.

The worker can be heard getting emotional on the phone while pleading for police to rush to the New Mexico residence.

“I think we just found two or one deceased person inside the house. They’re not moving, just send somebody out here really quick,” the man is heard telling the dispatcher.

The dispatcher responds by telling the worker that units are on the way to the home.

A search warrant affidavit suggested that the couple may have died due to some kind of gas poisoning, but the New Mexico Gas Co. reported it tested the gas lines in and around the home and didn’t find any problems.

Multiple outlets also reported that the local fire department found no signs of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning.

Additionally, authorities said a dead German shepherd was found in a bathroom closet near Arakawa, along with two healthy dogs at the property.

Hackman was among the most accomplished actors of his generation, and Arakawa was a concert pianist.

Tributes have poured in from around the world, paying tribute to the Oscar winner and his wife.

Copyright 2025 Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to his report.