The emotional 911 call made by a maintenance worker has leaked out after discovering the bodies of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.
According to audio obtained by TMZ, an unidentified male caretaker of the area was heard in a frantic as he pleaded with a dispatcher to send someone to the couple’s home.
“No, they’re not moving,” he said when asked if the victims appeared to be alert. “Just send somebody out here real quick.”
He was then asked if the two adults were breathing, to which the caller told the dispatcher, “I have no idea. I’m not inside the house. It’s closed. It’s locked. I can’t go in, but I see she’s laying down” from the window.
The guy was referring to Betsy Arakawa, who was found in a bathroom next to a space heater, while Oscar-winner Gene Hackman was found dead in an entryway.
“No, dude, they’re not moving!” he said. “Just send somebody out here really quick!”
The caller offered to meet first responders at the gate to help them get access to the house.
When pressed about the address, the caretaker informed him that there was no address and there was a reason for that.
Once police entered the home, that is when they found Arakawa lying on her right side in the bathroom. The Santa Fe detective who examined the scene said there was “bloating in her face and mummification in her hands and feet.”
#GeneHackman and his wife were inside their home, not moving … and the sight of them got the 911 caller very emotional, #TMZ has learned. #Exclusive story HERE: https://t.co/cmMk4ZxIfp pic.twitter.com/t3tBH1y3jV
— TMZ (@TMZ) February 27, 2025
Authorities believe she was dead for some time.
Meanwhile, Gene Hackman was found in a separate room off the kitchen. Police believe he may have fallen because his glasses were next to his body.
Preliminary Autopsies Performed on Gene Hackman and His Wife
Cops found actor Gene Hackman dead alongside his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, and their dog at their New Mexico home.
In a search warrant released Thursday, police described Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths as “suspicious.”
Initial findings from preliminary autopsies performed show there was “no external trauma to either individual.”
Official autopsy and toxicology reports are pending.
