Betsy Arakawa’s body was decomposed and showed signs of “mummification” when deputies found her, a search warrant reveals.
Per TMZ, the Santa Fe detective who examined the scene said there was “bloating in her face and mummification in her hands and feet.”
Arakawa, 63, was found laying on her right side in a ground-floor bathroom with a black space heater near her head, which they believe could have tumbled off the counter if she abruptly fell.
Police noticed an opened orange prescription bottle left on the countertop with pills scattered on the surface.
The couple’s beloved German Shepherd was also found deceased in a closet near the bathroom, around “10-15 feet” from Arakawa. However, their two other dogs were found alive and healthy — one inside the residence and the other outside.
Due to the state of her body, authorities believe Arakawa may have been dead for some time before police found her and her husband, Gene Hackman, deceased on Wednesday.
The legendary actor, 95, was found in a separate room off the kitchen. The detective believes Hackman, who was fully clothed, may have suddenly fallen as his glasses were thrown from his body.
Maintenance workers found the couple and told the authorities they hadn’t seen them in approximately two weeks, per the outlet.
The two employees said the front door was ajar when they arrived to the New Mexico residence. However, police did not find any signs of forced entry.
The lead detective sought a search warrant for the property as he believes their deaths are “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.”
Despite initial suspicions that the two died from carbon monoxide poisoning, the officer said there were “no obvious signs of a gas leak.”
The fire department and the New Mexico gas company both inspected the property but did not see any signs of a potential leak.
“As of now, there are no signs or evidence indicating there were any problems associated to the pipes in and around the residence,” a statement read.
The ultra-private couple was married for 34 years before their tragic deaths. Hackman is survived by three children from a previous relationship.