Gene Hackman’s unusual death discussed by forensic expert
Gene Hackman and his wife's bodies were found in 'suspicious' circumstances
Gene Hackman’s death, along with the death of his wife, Betsy Arakawa and their dog was discussed by forensic expert Dr. Michael Baden on the Fox Report.
After being found by the authorities in “suspicious” circumstances, an investigation was launched.
Officials from the Santa Fe Sheriff Department claimed that there were no clear signs of external injuries or foul play. It was confirmed by Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza after the preliminary autopsy that the couple did not test positive for carbon monoxide poisoning.
It is also likely that Hackman had passed away nine days before the corpse was discovered during a wellness check.
Saying that his pacemaker could give key insights, Baden added, "That event would have been a cardiac arrest caused by an abnormal pulse rate. The pacemaker keeps track of the pulse, and when it gets down too low, it discharges. And that's all in the record."
He continued, "So the autopsy showed he didn't have any injury. There was no carbon monoxide. And he had — the most common cause of death in this country — severe heart disease, coronary artery disease and high blood pressure perhaps, from what's been released. So that would cause him, having cardiac arrest in the mudroom, to collapse right there."
Discussing the different locations of the bodies, the expert stated, "His wife was found in the bathroom. They haven't released the information about her findings, except that she did not have carbon monoxide in her, and that what appears to be from the scene and from what's been said is that she found her husband in the mudroom."
"She may have struck her head on the way down and had some internal injury to the brain that doesn't show up on the outside or bleeding in the inside of the brain," Baden remarked further, "Or that she may also, at 65, had severe heart disease and excitement can cause a trigger to the cardiac rhythm causing death under those circumstances. I think the first, that striking her head would be more common."
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