Tragic End: Gene Hackman’s Canine Companion Succumbs to Starvation
In a deeply unsettling turn of events, the beloved dog of acting legend Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, met a grim fate—likely due to severe dehydration or starvation. The couple’s Australian Kelpie mix, Zinna, was found deceased in a closed crate alongside Arakawa’s body in their New Mexico home, raising questions and concerns about the circumstances leading up to her tragic end. According to a necropsy report from the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, Zinna’s stomach was nearly empty, containing only traces of hair and bile, suggesting she had been deprived of food and water for an extended period.
The report highlights that Zinna exhibited “severe postmortem decomposition,” yet there was no evidence found of infectious disease or trauma that could have led to her death. It appears Zinna may have been confined in the crate after undergoing a surgical procedure, as indicated by the presence of sutured incisions in her small intestine and the absence of her spleen. Authorities revealed that Arakawa had taken Zinna to a veterinary clinic shortly before her death, lending a layer of complexity to this already tragic narrative.
Betsy Arakawa, 65, tragically succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease contracted through contact with rodent excrement, around February 11, as authorities established through surveillance footage. Meanwhile, Gene Hackman, 95, was found deceased about a week later, with his cause of death attributed to hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, compounded by advanced Alzheimer’s disease. The implications of Hackman’s Alzheimer’s raise a poignant question: Was he even aware of the tragic circumstances surrounding him, including the fate of his beloved pet?
The couple, married for 33 years, was discovered by maintenance workers, who alerted authorities after seeing the couple’s bodies through a window, a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the sometimes-unfathomable challenges of aging. The investigation into their deaths continues to unravel, leaving a community in mourning and a legacy of profound loss.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and NBC News, People Magazine, The Hollywood Reporter
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