Authorities are seeking a search warrant after Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were discovered dead in their home.
As previously reported, the Oscar-winning actor and his wife were found unconscious in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home. The body of their pet dog was also discovered at the scene, according to Sky News.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza released a statement confirming the deaths and addressing ongoing investigations.
“We can confirm that both Gene Hackman and his wife were found deceased Wednesday afternoon at their residence on Sunset Trail. This is an active investigation; however, at this time we do not believe that foul play was a factor,” they said.
Mendoza first confirmed the tragic news to local media shortly after midnight on Wednesday, February 26.
Per BBC News, the exact cause of death remains undetermined. Officials have revealed they are awaiting approval of a search warrant for the residence.
"All I can say is that we're in the middle of a preliminary death investigation, waiting on approval of a search warrant," Mendoza told reporters.
Hackman was 95 years old at the time of his death, while his wife, who was a classical pianist, was 63.
According to The Guardian, deputies initially discovered the bodies of a man in his 90s and a woman in her 60s but were waiting for official identification pending further investigation.
Sheriff Mendoza also reassured the public: "I want to assure the community and neighborhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone."
Hackman and Arakawa tied the knot in 1991 and spent the following decades leading a quiet, private life in their Santa Fe home, far from the Hollywood spotlight.
Despite stepping away from acting in the early 2000s, the late actor remained one of the most revered figures in cinema, with a career spanning over 40 years.
The legendary actor won two Academy Awards - one for Best Actor in The French Connection (1971) and another for Best Supporting Actor in Unforgiven (1992). He also earned Oscar nominations for Bonnie and Clyde (1967), I Never Sang for My Father (1970), and Mississippi Burning (1988).
Following the news of his passing, several Hollywood stars and filmmakers have taken to social media to honor the former Marine's legacy.
Director Francis Ford Coppola was among the first to pay tribute, sharing a behind-the-scenes photo of them on the set of The Conversation (1974) on Instagram.
"The loss of a great artist, always cause for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity,” Coppola wrote. "I mourn his loss and celebrate his existence and contribution."
Filmmaker Edgar Wright called Hackman “the greatest” on X (formerly Twitter), while George Takei hailed him as “one of the true giants of the screen".
Takei continued: “Gene Hackman could play anyone, and you could feel a whole life behind it. He could be everyone and no one, a towering presence or an everyday Joe. That’s how powerful an actor he was. He will be missed, but his work will live on forever.”
Our thoughts are with Hackman and Arakawa's loved ones.