What started as a tragic discovery inside the Santa Fe home of Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa has turned even more heartbreaking with the release of their handwritten notes; tiny, tender pieces of their life together, now frozen in time.
The couple, who had been married for over 30 years, were both found dead inside their New Mexico estate on February 26. Betsy, a classical pianist, was discovered on the bathroom floor, while Hackman, 94, was found lifeless in another room. The double tragedy prompted an investigation that initially raised eyebrows.
However, the chief medical examiner ruled their deaths as natural causes.
Now, newly released documents and photographs from authorities in northern New Mexico provide a haunting and emotional glimpse into the couple’s final days; and the quiet devotion that would explain their decades-long relationship.
Scattered throughout their $4 million home were intimate handwritten notes that revealed their daily affection and inside jokes. Gene was battling Alzheimer’s in his final years. He had leaned more and more on his beloved Betsy. In his scribbled notes, he affectionately called her “lovely girl,” and always signed off as “Love G.”
One note, simple but full of love, read: “Morning lovely girl, thinking of you and the other little guys. Love G.”
In another, Hackman apologized for needing help with Betsy’s own birthday dinner, a bittersweet nod to his declining health. “Good morning. Happy several days after your birthday. Sorry still about the dinner and having to ask for your help, although it was appreciated. Love you and the guys, G.”
The notes weren’t just expressions of love, but also windows into Gene’s awareness of his condition, and how he often used humor to cope.
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“Ho, Ho, I am off to see the Wizard, the Wizz of Achie, Pokie. She stabs me here and stabs me there, she stabs me almost everywhere (almost). But I survive because after I am still alive. (But some times just barely),” he wrote, signing it off in his usual way.
Another note, filled with both wit and confusion, gave a heartbreaking picture into his fading memory. “I’m going down to that building out past the hot water place where you sit, and do whatever it is that people are supposed to do in such a building – maybe I’ll remember once I get down there. Love, what’s his name.”
Meanwhile, Betsy’s love language came through in small gestures. She would leave puzzles for Hackman to work on while she ran errands. Her quiet care was ever-present, especially as his memory waned.
Alongside the letters, police released bodycam footage from the moment officers entered the house and came upon the tragic scene. The heart-wrenching video showed the couple’s remains, along with one deceased dog and another still alive, loyally resting beside Arakawa’s body.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s dog stayed by the body of actor’s wife when the couple was found dead. pic.twitter.com/Ermy5Am5ms
— Satguy 141 (@satguy01) April 17, 2025
Earlier, authorities also disclosed Arakawa’s recent search history. It revealed that in the days leading up to their deaths, she had been looking up flu-like symptoms and ordering oxygen canisters. She was likely trying to ease Hackman’s respiratory issues and discomfort.
Their tragic passing marked the end of an era. The rediscovered notes tell a softer story. One of a deep, enduring love that remained strong even as their health faded.
