Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s unexpected deaths shocked the world when their bodies were discovered on February 26, days after they had passed away in their Santa Fe home.
While Betsy, 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease spread by rodents, Gene is thought to have died a week later due to heart disease, with Alzheimer’s and kidney disease as secondary causes of death.
The fate of their dogs
The couple were avid dog lovers, and were the proud owners of a 12-year-old Australian Shepherd, Zinna, a seven-year-old German Shepherd, Bear, and an Akita-Shepherd mix, Nikita.
Sadly, Zinna was found dead in a crate near Betsy’s body, with investigators ruling that the pooch had passed away due to dehydration and starvation.
New police footage released on Wednesday showed the tragic moment that Bear was seen standing over Betsy’s body, with the officer stating that the pup seemed “sad.” Bear and Nikita were found roaming the property when investigators arrived, and led officials to their owners’ bodies.
Concern grew about the future of Bear and Nikita, with the couple’s friend and owner of Santa Fe Tails pet care, Joey Padilla, revealing that the dogs had been re-homed.
Betsy’s devotion to her pets
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyJoey shared with the Associated Press that he had been caring for the dogs while he waited to learn what Betsy’s wishes were. “I will be holding on to them until I get word on what Betsy’s wishes for these dogs are,” he told the outlet. Joey added that the dogs were “Betsy’s babies,” and that she was devoted to their care and training.
As for Zinna, Gene and Betsy’s deceased dog, he said that the pooch “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,” Joey explained. “If only people knew how meticulous and amazing [Betsy and Gene] were with the dogs. It breaks my heart.”
“I think this is a tragic accident,” he added. “There’s no way that Betsy would have left that dog in a crate for any other reason.”
A new lease on life
© Getty ImagesJoey later shared in a statement that Bear and Nikita had been “placed in appropriate homes” and were “safe, healthy, and adjusting to their new environments.”
He clarified that they had fulfilled Betsy’s wishes for the dogs. “With great joy, and with the consent of the estate attorney, my team and I at Santa Fe Tails have successfully found new homes for Bear and Nikita,” he said.
“We made every effort to ensure they were placed in safe, caring environments, and both are already beginning to settle in. We are thankful for the well wishes during their transition,” he added. “Our hope is that people continue to respect their privacy so they can continue to heal.”
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyGene is best known for his starring roles in The French Connection, Bonnie & Clyde, and Superman. He met Betsy in the early ’80s at a gym where she worked part-time, and the couple married in 1991.
The 95-year-old is survived by his three children, Christopher, Leslie and Elizabeth, whom he welcomed with his first wife, Faye Maltese.
To learn more about Gene’s incredible legacy, see below…
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