Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were more than just husband and wife—they were true life partners, say longtime friends and neighbors in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The couple’s sudden passing has left their close friends, Daniel and Barbara Lenihan, along with their son Aaron, in shock.
Having known the pair for years, the Lenihans were aware that Hackman, who turned 95 on Jan. 30, was aging, but the tragic news still came as a blow.
“He was getting quite old,” said Barbara, 75. “We were trying to prepare ourselves for Gene’s demise.” But the circumstances surrounding their deaths? That, she admits, left them completely stunned.
Hackman and Arakawa were discovered in their home on Wednesday, along with one of their dogs, while two other dogs were found unharmed on the property.
Authorities believe the couple had been deceased for several days, with Arakawa’s body found near an open bottle of pills, showing signs of mummification.
“They were one of the tightest couples I’ve seen,” Aaron, 38, recalled.
He fondly remembered the couple cheering him and his brother Brendan on at their taekwondo and soccer matches. Arakawa, a classical pianist, often played for friends, while Hackman shared his passion for painting with the Lenihan family.
“They seemed like real life partners, really, really close to each other, and they were both incredibly kind,” Aaron added. “They were always doing stuff for other people.”
Barbara described Hackman as “the Renaissance man” and Arakawa as “as sharp as he was.”
She emphasized their kindness and deep bond, saying, “They got along very well. And we saw them in all kinds of circumstances, and Betsy’s really been great to him over the years, and he has too. As he aged… she was concerned about COVID, so he did not go out much.”
In his final months, Hackman became “essentially kind of home-bound,” according to Daniel, 79, who noted that the French Connection star was “really slipping there.” The Lenihans saw less and less of him, but Arakawa remained vigilant about his health.
“She was very protective of him in terms of COVID, so she’d always wear a mask when we’d see her out,” Aaron recalled. “But she was still trying to keep him as active and engaged and healthy as possible.”
Despite the sorrow surrounding their passing, those who knew them best remember their love, generosity, and unwavering commitment to each other.
“We loved them both very much, and we’re heartbroken about it… their relationship was fantastic,” Aaron said.
Hackman and Arakawa are survived by his three children from his previous marriage to Faye Maltese. Their deaths remain under active investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.
