Gene Hackman police confess to major identification blunder after actor’s death in fresh twist to investigation
Police have admitted to misidentifying the dog that died alongside Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa at their Santa Fe home.
Initially, authorities reported the couple’s German Shepherd Bear had been found deceased in its kennel.
However, officials now confirm it was actually Zinna, the couple’s 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mix, who died with them.
Bear and their other dog Nikita, a seven-year-old Akita-shepherd mix, are both alive and currently being cared for at a local pet daycare facility.
The error adds another layer of mystery to the investigation into the couple’s deaths.
The bodies of Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 63, were discovered in their $3.8 million home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, last Wednesday.
A caretaker found the couple in separate rooms of the property around 1:45pm.
The misidentification came to light when Joey Padilla, owner of Santa Fe Tails pet care facility, confirmed that Bear was actually alive and well at his facility.
“Our deputies do not deal with canines on a daily basis,” said Denise Womack-Avila, a spokesperson for the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.
Authorities have described the circumstances of the deaths as “suspicious” though foul play is not suspected.
Zinna was found in a kennel in a bathroom closet near Arakawa’s body, according to the sheriff’s office.
No necropsy was performed on the dog.
Padilla described Zinna’s special bond with Arakawa in an email statement: “Zinna was always attached to Betsy at the hip and it was a beautiful relationship.”
“Zinna went from being a returned shelter dog to this incredible companion under Betsy’s hand,” he added.
The 12-year-old reddish Australian Kelpie mix had once trained in agility skills to compete at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Bear and Nikita are currently staying at Santa Fe Tails pet daycare facility in New Mexico.
The dogs cannot be rehomed until the couple’s wills are read, leaving them in what one report described as “limbo”.
It remains unclear what provisions, if any, Hackman made for his pets in the event of his death.
The dogs had been left free to roam for at least 10 days before being discovered.
While Bear was captured easily, Nikita was reportedly “skittish because of all the commotion” and required an overnight door trap in the backyard before being safely secured.
Hackman’s body was found in a mudroom near his cane, appearing to have fallen.
Arakawa was discovered in an open bathroom near a space heater, with an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on the nearby countertop.
Authorities believe the couple may have been dead for over a week before discovery.
Tests on Hackman’s pacemaker showed his “last event” was recorded on February 17, nine days before the bodies were found.
Both bodies were in a state of partial mummification, with a deputy observing Arakawa with “body decomposition, bloating in her face” and mummification of her hands and feet.
Both bodies have tested negative for carbon monoxide, with no significant gas leaks discovered in the home.
A more extensive utility company inspection found one burner on a stove had a “miniscule leak that could not be lethal”.
Authorities have retrieved several items from the residence for investigation, including two mobile phones, medication bottles, medical records and a 2025 monthly planner.
Police are working to establish the couple’s last known contact with other people. Medical investigators are still trying to determine the cause of deaths, but toxicology results aren’t expected for several weeks.
The investigation is complicated by what Sheriff Adan Mendoza described as the couple’s private lifestyle. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Denise Womack-Avila acknowledged the misidentification of Zinna as a German Shepherd.
“Our deputies, they don’t work with canines on a daily basis,” she told reporters.
When questioned further about how the error occurred, she added: “I cannot currently speak to the condition or state of the dog’s body upon discovery.”
The mistake was first reported by USA Today after their investigation into the case. The error has raised questions about the thoroughness of the initial assessment at the scene.
Police are continuing to piece together the timeline of events leading to the deaths.