Gene Hackman, wife and dog are found dead at home

[Chuchoter]

Legendary Hollywood star Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have been found dead in their Santa Fe home.
The couple, who had been married since 1991, were found alongside their dog. Local media has reported that no foul play is suspected.
Hackman had just turned 95 in late January. He was known for being a reclusive person, having not starred in a movie since 2004, when he played Monroe 'Eagle' Cole in the political satire Welcome to Mooseport.
Born in California on January 30 1930, the actor had enlisted in the army after lying about his age at 16, serving for four-and-a-half years.
After moving back to California following his military service, he decided to pursue acting after briefly living in New York.
RIP

Superb actor.

Sometimes the more people you have in charge of something, the less likely it is to get done.

Well it’s all subjective I though it was a brilliant film very funny at the time

True. But carbon monoxide poisoning is the result of high concentrations of gas in small enclosed spaces, typically caravans, garages and so on. That does not sound like the typical housing arrangement of a famous couple in Santa Fe to me. But who knows?

People on here always jump to assuming carbon monoxide poisoning in situations like this. I can't remember a single time when that's actually ended up being the cause of death.

I do not know if two people committing suicide, or one dying of natural causes and the other committing suicide in grief, would come under foul play.

'foul play' is usually murder of both people involved, where there is a 3rd party involved.

Plenty of people have been killed in their homes by CO.

There was a case in December where the actor, Marc Blucas’ MIL died of CO poisoning in his home in PA, which if not a Hollywood mansion still looks like a substantial property.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna185640

The wording re Gene Hackman and his wife does seem a little odd but initial reports often can be so carefully worded that they seem strange. I guess that we’ll find out in time.

unless of course one of them died from natural causes and the other from grief

I can think of one or two but I admit that it isn’t usually my first thought when a husband and wife are found dead together. In this case, who knows? I guess that we’ll learn more soon.

For some reason although it wasn’t a leading role, my first thought when I think of Gene Hackman is his part in Young Frankenstein.
“I was going to make espresso.”

Fair enough. But I am thinking about arxhitecture here really - Santa Fe is a fairly warm climate so I would expect open well aired house design on a generous footprint. I realise it is not hot at this time of year so heating (and heating maintenance) may well be an issue.

His wife was 63. That's not a great age 🙄

Why must it?

I'm assuming it's carbon monoxide poisoning or something in the water? As the dog died too it seems. He was very old but very sad for his wife at 63.

You think Gene Hackman is an obscure celebrity?
How old are you?

Well yes...but his wife was only 63!! 🤷‍♀️

'Obscure'??? This is Gene Hackman ffs! Literally nothing 'obscure' about him 🤦‍♀️

Have you also not heard of Marilyn Monroe? Or Fred Astair? I mean, neither have been in anything recently.

What I am saying is pretty simple: the police are lying by saying that foul play is not a factor. Either that, or they utterly incompetent.

This is so sad. I loved Gene Hackman in The Firm and he was absolutely awesome in Enemy of the State.

You aren't making any sense, even if you think you are being 'pretty simple' - what 'foul play' do you think police are 'lying' or being 'utterly incompetent' about?

From the BBC, for reference:

A statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff in New Mexico said: "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."

The comments about foul play are in relation to Gene's death. The police say there is no obvious cause of HIS death.

Perhaps she didn't want to go on without him and gave the dog an overdose of sleeping tablets as well as herself and they lay down next to him and died.

That would make sense to me even though it's tremendously sad.

Surely carbon monoxide poisoning usually comes from gas fires/boilers, which I'd understood are much less common in the US than the UK?

The above statement on the Beeb doesn't seem to indicate it only applies to GH - ?

This is so sad. Gene Hackman was huge in my youth (1970's) and a very fine actor. I was blown away by the French Connection films. My first thought on reading the OP was a murder suicide. I have no reason to think that, I know nothing about the family's personal life, just a gut instinct.

Even films that I don't expect to like turn up trumps with Gene Hackman in them. I'm not into Westerns but really enjoyed Open Range with him and Kevin Costner.

When Walt Disney made it big, he bought his parents a house in Hollywood. There was a fault with the heating system and his mother died of carbon-monoxide poisoning. CO2 can build up in a mansion just as easily as in a garage - poor ventilation, faulty heating or venting system, fuel burning heating systems, etc. A large property is no guarantee of safety.