What is a mudroom? Circumstances surrounding Gene Hackman's death explored as actor and wife found 'mummified'

Actor Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were recently found dead in the pair’s Santa Fe-based house on February 26, 2025. While the circumstances leading to the duo’s demise were not revealed, new details have emerged now.

Daily Mail acquired an arrest warrant related to the case on Thursday, February 27, disclosing more information about the condition in which Gene and Betsy were found. The report claimed that the duo was allegedly discovered in a mummified state, including that Arakawa’s face was bloated.

According to Variety, Gene Hackman’s body was recovered from a mudroom, which refers to a casual secondary entrance to a house. The official website of Better Homes and Gardens also states that the mudroom can also be used to remove things like wet clothing before entering the residence.

The mud room additionally works as a storage space, helping the main spots of the house to remain clean. Mudrooms also need to have some space to remove shoes, and people can furnish it with items such as lockers and shoe cabinets.

---

Police have reportedly found other evidence at Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s house

A report by TMZ on February 27, 2025, stated that the authorities found Betsy with a black space heater near her head in the bathroom. Apart from this, an open prescription bottle was found at the place and the pills were spread all over.

As mentioned, Arakawa’s body was reportedly in a mummified condition, hinting that she had been dead for some time before being discovered by the deputies. According to Page Six, Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s dog, which was a German Shepherd, was recovered from a closet near the bathroom where Betsy was found.

Gene and Betsy had two more dogs who were found in a healthy condition. The authorities believed that the pair might have fallen suddenly since Hackman’s sunglasses were discovered near him.

Apart from this, there was no evidence of forced entry into the house since the main door was open. However, the authorities failed to determine the time of Gene and Betsy’s death, and the detective investigating the case also said in a statement:

“Affiant believes that the circumstances surrounding the death of the two deceased individuals to be suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.”

The arrest warrant acquired by Daily Mail also claimed that the space heater found near Betsy Arakawa had possibly fallen off at the time when she fell. The maintenance workers, who first found the actor and his wife, told the police that they had not seen either of them for around two weeks.

---

Gene Hackman gained recognition for his performances in films such as Unforgiven and The French Connection. He was known for playing the antagonist Lex Luthor in the Superman films, which featured Christopher Reeve in the lead. He had many TV shows in his credits, including The Defenders, Brenner, and CBS Playhouse.