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A forensic pathologist theorized the "unusual" circumstances of the deaths of legendary actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Awakawa, after both were found at their home in New Mexico last week.
Dr. Michael Baden appeared on FOX Report and explained that Hackman's pacemaker, which the sheriff said last recorded an event on February 17, could provide more details on the couple's mysterious deaths.
“That event would have been a cardiac arrest caused by an abnormal pulse rate,” Baden said. “The pacemaker keeps track of the pulse, and when it gets down too low, it discharges. And that’s all in the record.”
“So the autopsy showed he didn’t have any injury,” he added. “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.”
Police are considering the deaths of Hackman, 95, and Awakawa, 65, to be "suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation," according to a police affidavit obtained by TMZ on Thursday (February 27). A Santa Fe detective wrote that the "reporting party found the front door of the residence unsecured and opened," as well as "a healthy dog running loose on the property, another healthy dog near the deceased female, a deceased dog laying 10-15 feet from the deceased female in a closet of the bathroom, the heater being moved, the pill bottle being opened and pills scattered next to the female, the male decedent being located in a separate room of the residence, and no obvious signs of a gas leak."
The deputy reported that Arakawa was found lying on the ground in the bathroom with a black space heater near her head, believing the heater could have fallen after Arakawa abruptly fell on the ground. An orange prescription bottle was open with pills scattered on the countertop.
Arakawa appeared to be dead for some time prior to being found as her body was in a state of decomposition with bloating in her face and mummification in her hands and feet. Hackman was reportedly found in a separate room near the kitchen fully clothed and suspected to have possibly fallen as his sunglasses were next to his body.
The local fire department said there were no signs of carbon monoxide leak or poisoning, which was initially suspected to be a potential cause of death by Hackman's family.
"As of now, there are no signs or evidence indicating there were any problems associated to the pipes in and around the residence," the affidavit stated, according to TMZ.
Hackman, a two-time Academy Award winner, and Arakawa, were married for 34 years. Police reportedly found the couple at around 1:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday (February 26).
Hackman's legendary acting career spanned more than 60 years, providing an everyman believability to numerous iconic roles, including playing Jimmy Doyle in The French Connection (1971) and Little Bill Daggett in Unforgiven (1992), which won him the Academy Awards for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively. The California native was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor for roles in Bonnie & Clyde (1968) and I Never Sang for My Father (1971), as well as Best Actor for Mississippi Burning (1989).
Hackman is also remembered for playing arch villain Lex Luthor in Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980), as well as Coach Norman Dale in Hoosiers (1986) and Royal Tenenbaum in The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) among numerous other iconic roles.