Milestone Moments: All The Celebrity Vitals

[tearknee]

4 minutes ago, Dimity said:

If they are ruling out natural causes and are calling the deaths suspicious then this is where my mind is going as well.  But, as Tearknee points out that doesn't explain the death of the dog.  Whatever happened I hope they figure it out soon.

And the dogs can't speak English so they can't tell anyone. And if you kill one dog, why not them all? Something caused intruder(s) to panic, perhaps?

And if the Hackman's haven't been verifiably seen in some weeks - why didn't the dogs that are alive starve?

[Affogato]

53 minutes ago, Dimity said:

If they are ruling out natural causes and are calling the deaths suspicious then this is where my mind is going as well.  But, as Tearknee points out that doesn't explain the death of the dog.  Whatever happened I hope they figure it out soon.

One of the articles said they found some prescription pills on the floor. The dog might have eaten some. Just conjecturing. 

Edited Thursday at 10:30 PM by Affogato

[Lugal]

1 hour ago, Is Everyone Gone said:

I hate to think it but I'm thinking murder suicide for the Hackman case ...

I don't think it was murder.  I'm just guessing, but it sounds like he may have fallen and she may have been distraught enough to take her own life.

2 minutes ago, Affogato said:

One of the articles said they found some prescription pills on the floor. The dog might have eaten some. Just conjecturing. 

My conjecture too.

[tearknee]

Quote

And if the Hackman's haven't been verifiably seen in some weeks - why didn't the dogs that are alive starve?

 

[MissAlmond]

On 2/27/2025 at 4:46 AM, Spartan Girl said:

Gene Hackman was one of the greats. He’s done too many shows to list properly, but he brought full camp as Lex Luthor.

Oh my goodness! I loved Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor and was happy to read he loved the role too. I still remember the scene where Superman delivers Lex and Otis (Ned Beatty) to prison and Lex starts sprouting out how great he is and Otis repeats him, much to Lex’s annoyance. R.I.P. Mr. Hackman.

TCM Remembers Gene Hackman

 

Edited Friday at 05:12 PM by MissAlmond

[Blergh]

Correct me if I'm wrong.

However, as of this writing, it appears that for at least the previous  two weeks' time before their deaths were discovered, not just the paid maintenance worker but NONE of the Hackmans' colleagues, friends . . . or family members appeared to have so much as phoned much less dropped by their place to see if the 95-year-old man and his [albeit decades younger] wife were doing OK. What's wrong with this picture?

[andromeda331]

I'm leaning towards carbon doxide. From the news it sounded like they both collasped suddenly. The dog that died was in a closet and maybe in a cage in the closet. The other two dogs were outside.  One person they interviewed said the smell could have been gone by then.

But there are couple things that don't add up if that's the case. The door was open ajar. I suppose they could have done that. The other weird thing is they've been dead long enough to decompose. Like @Blergh points out it's really weird that no one contacted them. Family and friends didn't call? The caretaker who found them didn't go there sooner? Was it her/his to take care of them? At least check in?  It's very odd.

[Zella]

1 hour ago, andromeda331 said:

The other two dogs were outside. 

I've read multiple sources that say one of the dogs was alive in the bathroom with her, while the one that had died was in a kennel in the bathroom closet. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gene-hackman-wife-found-dead-investigation-santa-fe-sheriffs-rcna193960

I don't want to engage in too much speculation without more facts, but I do not believe what is described has anything to do with carbon monoxide poisoning. 

I was also confused about the caretaker, but the above source, which is the most thorough I've seen, clarifies it is the subdivision caretaker who called, not a personal caretaker. Apparently when maintenance workers--or pest control, I've seen both in various articles--couldn't get ahold of Hackman and his wife, they called him, and then he called 911. 

I suspect that Betty was, essentially, Gene's caretaker. 

Edited Friday at 06:11 AM by Zella

[bros402]

One theory I read that made sense is that maybe Gene Hackman had a heart attack (and fell over), his wife went for the pills (although of course the type of pill hasn't been released yet) and slipped on the floor, hitting the heater in the bathroom that was noted to be knocked over.

(and of course, all of this is pure conjecture)

Edited Friday at 06:13 AM by bros402

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, andromeda331 said:

The door was open ajar.

But the pest control worker who placed the 911 call said he couldn't get in, as the doors were locked, but he could see through the windows they both were down.  Right now, we're suffering from a barrage of information without an investigation to put it all together.

25 minutes ago, Zella said:

while the one that had died was in a kennel in the bathroom closet. 

Yeah, in today's press conference, the sheriff's office said the dead dog was kenneled, while the surviving dogs were not.

[roamyn]

I heard an AZ death investigator tell their local news to be careful.  Nothing said so far really means anything.  The open door could've been by the maintenance workers, the fire Marshall's saying there was no carbon monoxide doesn't mean the bodies won't show evidence, the scattered pills might not mean anything either.

But he did bring up a good point.  He said, "for example, something could've happened to Mrs. Hackman, first.  And with Mr. Hacknan's advanced age she was most likely his caregiver."  That could also explain the dog that was caged.  No one to bring it food or water.  The others might've survived by scavenging, toilet water.  Horrifying as that might be, where were family & friends?  Why didn't his kids reach out if the couple hadn't been heard from in over a week?

Edited Friday at 07:55 AM by roamyn

[tearknee]

25 minutes ago, roamyn said:

  Why didn't his kids reach out if the couple hadn't been heard from in over a week?

estrangement?

[Soapy Goddess]

10 hours ago, Dimity said:

If they are ruling out natural causes and are calling the deaths suspicious then this is where my mind is going as well.  But, as Tearknee points out that doesn't explain the death of the dog.  Whatever happened I hope they figure it out soon.

Apparently they had several dogs. It was reported that one or two others were roaming around the property. No other details available yet.

[tearknee]

The only two good actors in Superman IV are now gone.

I hope you and Chris Reeve have been having a nice chat to reminisce, Mister Hackman.

[Vermicious Knid]

TMZ included the last known picture of them in public which was about a year ago. Hackman looks extremely fragile. They were super private and maybe it wasn't unusual for them not to respond to people for days? Doesn't seem to have sent up any red flags for friends and family. I do wonder why the dogs that were alive weren't barking and causing a ruckus that would attract attention. 

[ElleryAnne]

4 hours ago, tearknee said:

The only two good actors in Superman IV are now gone.

I hope you and Chris Reeve have been having a nice chat to reminisce, Mister Hackman.

One or two of us thought Margot Kidder was a good actor as well.  I know she had issues she struggled with, but I like to think she's welcome in their little heavenly chat, too.

[Is Everyone Gone]

This is pure conjecture, but very often when there is an older male with a much younger wife, the kids are often estranged from the older male. Maybe Hackman's kids only talked to their father on occasion. 

[Snow Apple]

6 hours ago, Bastet said:

Yeah, in today's press conference, the sheriff's office said the dead dog was kenneled, while the surviving dogs were not.

The poor thing. It must have been so scared and confused and then starved when it couldn't escape. I think this is hitting my heart more than anything else in this whole tragedy 😢

[Dimity]

25 minutes ago, ElleryAnne said:

One or two of us thought Margot Kidder was a good actor as well.  I know she had issues she struggled with, but I like to think she's welcome in their little heavenly chat, too.

Ned Beatty was no slouch either.

[tearknee]

48 minutes ago, ElleryAnne said:

One or two of us thought Margot Kidder was a good actor as well.  I know she had issues she struggled with, but I like to think she's welcome in their little heavenly chat, too.

You seem to have mis-understood me - Superman and Lex are the lead characters. Elisabeth Shue isn't a lead in the Karate Kid, either - Macchio and Morita were.

I used the wrong words - I have brain damage - i meaning the major parts in Superman IV - Jon Cryer as Lenny is poor

[MissAlmond]

Gene Hackman was 95. Any close friends still alive most likely have people checking up on them. 

According to one daughter, there was no estrangement and they got along well with their stepmother.  Who knows if this is true. But if it is, maybe Gene once told them don't worry about me, if there's a problem Betsy will call you. Perhaps contacting him every month or so had just become the family habit. 

Edited Saturday at 03:45 AM by MissAlmond

[Dimity]

22 minutes ago, MissAlmond said:

But if it is, maybe Gene once told them don't worry about me, if there's a problem Betsy will call you.

My FIL died when he was 93 and we were not in the habit of checking in on him regularly as he had a live in  caregiver before he went into sheltered accommodation.  Also elderly people don't always answer their phone!  My Dad and I are very close but you wouldn't know it if you based that on how often he picks up his phone or notices he has voicemails.  It's not unusual for me to get a call about a voicemail I left weeks before (and we've talked in the meantime BTW). 

[Zella]

They tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning and Hackman's pacemaker last registered activity on February 17. 

https://variety.com/2025/film/news/gene-hackman-wife-test-negative-carbon-monoxide-pacemaker-stopped-1236323847/

[Spartan Girl]

2 hours ago, Zella said:

They tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning and Hackman's pacemaker last registered activity on February 17. 

https://variety.com/2025/film/news/gene-hackman-wife-test-negative-carbon-monoxide-pacemaker-stopped-1236323847/

Speculation is rising that maybe he just died and she killed herself. I don’t know if that’s the case, but this just keeps getting more awful.

[roamyn]

2 hours ago, Zella said:

They tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning and Hackman's pacemaker last registered activity on February 17. 

https://variety.com/2025/film/news/gene-hackman-wife-test-negative-carbon-monoxide-pacemaker-stopped-1236323847/

I'm thinking now that it might be more & more likely that something happened to her first and that Mr. Hackman & the poor doggy starved.  This is so tragic no matter the circumstances

My elderly step father & sort of step mother live in another state from me.  We hadn't visited in four years prior to last summer (I'm disabled). But that doesn't stop me from calling every week to check on them.

[BetterButter]

Joseph Wambaugh, Creator of ‘Police Story’ and ‘Onion Field’ Writer, Dies at 88

[Zella]

4 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

Speculation is rising that maybe he just died and she killed herself. I don’t know if that’s the case, but this just keeps getting more awful.

I had originally thought that from the beginning, to be honest, but some of the other details do make me wonder if she had a medical emergency in the bathroom, and he fell trying to get help and the dog just had the misfortune of being kenneled when everything happened. I saw one article that said their home had patchy cell service, so if he was in the mudroom because he was trying to leave the house to summon assistance (or just because he understandably panicked), that would make sense. Regardless of what happened, it's so sad and unfortunate.

I always really liked Gene Hackman in movies and was happy to see him any time he pop up on the screen. Cinema lost something when he retired, though I am glad he seems to have enjoyed his retirement and the other interests he pursued. Last year, I tried to watch Kevin Costner's Wyatt Earp for the first time in a long time, and it absolutely bored the hell out of me. Except for Gene Hackman's scenes. LOL He always lit up the screen and was always worth watching, even if the movie itself wasn't anything special. 

[roseha]

It's a sad thing but I keep remembering the scene in The Royal Tenenbaums with Hackman and Ben Stiller playing his son, and the son being alone (in the ambulance?)  with his father when he died.

He was wonderful in the film.  Very sad.

[Raja]

On 2/27/2025 at 8:21 PM, Blergh said:

Correct me if I'm wrong.

However, as of this writing, it appears that for at least the previous  two weeks' time before their deaths were discovered, not just the paid maintenance worker but NONE of the Hackmans' colleagues, friends . . . or family members appeared to have so much as phoned much less dropped by their place to see if the 95-year-old man and his [albeit decades younger] wife were doing OK. What's wrong with this picture?

As we have moved away from multigenerational households it is a thing that happens. In this case with a wife who hasn't reached her full social security benefit age of retiring at 67 the Hackman's were even more likely to slip through the cracks

[Mr. Sparkle]

Absolute legend David Johansen dead at 75.

https://people.com/david-johansen-dead-new-york-dolls-singer-dies-at-75-11679388

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Sensualistic. Ritualistic. Alchemistic. Polytheistic.

[Blergh]

2 hours ago, Raja said:

As we have moved away from multigenerational households it is a thing that happens. In this case with a wife who hasn't reached her full social security benefit age of retiring at 67 the Hackman's were even more likely to slip through the cracks

I'm sorry but, in this age of Smartphones,CCTV cameras, RING cameras, and instant world wide communication, that rationale has evaporated as a valid justification for others' deaths 'slip[ping] through the cracks' than in eras before telegraphs and mail delivery had existed.

IMO, it seems that virtually every single person who had had regular dealings with the Hackmans- be it alleged caregivers, handypeople, neighbors, loved ones. .and, especially, relatives on both sides FAILED to check up on them for over a week's time prior to the discover of their remains and I hope ALL of them feel ashamed for having done so (and this supposes that somehow the Hackmans and one of their dogs each died of natural causes and not from something outsiders may have done ). I find it telling that before any toxicology reports had been conducted one of Mr. Hackman's daughters claimed that her 95-year-old father's, stepmother's and one of their dog's deaths had been the result of carbon-monoxide poisoning - drawing that conclusion despite having not even visited the home in at least two weeks' time.

Of course, it's not the first time an elderly person hadn't been missed despite no one having seen or interacted with them for more than a day. Examples are many but one that stands out is a case in Belgium in which this older woman lived in a suburban neighborhood and was known to have had one son whom she was estranged from as well as neighbors who largely avoided her due to her being somewhat argumentative. Well, she wasn't seen around but none of the above  bothered to knock on her door until one day their city broke it down to install some mandatory new appliances for all the residences. Anyway, the city workers discovered her skeletal remains that had been laying on the floor since her death in 1974- nineteen years earlier.

I'm not sure whether or not Mr. and/or Mrs. Hackman was difficult or nice as pie to their known current acquaintances, associates,etc.

However, regardless of what the cause/s of death is determined, it's downright SHAMEFUL that they didn't check up on them for over a week!

[Raja]

2 hours ago, Blergh said:

I'm sorry but, in this age of Smartphones,CCTV cameras, RING cameras, and instant world wide communication, that rationale has evaporated as a valid justification for others' deaths 'slip[ping] through the cracks' than in eras before telegraphs and mail delivery had existed.

IMO, it seems that virtually every single person who had had regular dealings with the Hackmans- be it alleged caregivers, handypeople, neighbors, loved ones. .and, especially, relatives on both sides FAILED to check up on them for over a week's time prior to the discover of their remains and I hope ALL of them feel ashamed for having done so (and this supposes that somehow the Hackmans and one of their dogs each died of natural causes and not from something outsiders may have done ). I find it telling that before any toxicology reports had been conducted one of Mr. Hackman's daughters claimed that her 95-year-old father's, stepmother's and one of their dog's deaths had been the result of carbon-monoxide poisoning - drawing that conclusion despite having not even visited the home in at least two weeks' time.

Of course, it's not the first time an elderly person hadn't been missed despite no one having seen or interacted with them for more than a day. Examples are many but one that stands out is a case in Belgium in which this older woman lived in a suburban neighborhood and was known to have had one son whom she was estranged from as well as neighbors who largely avoided her due to her being somewhat argumentative. Well, she wasn't seen around but none of the above  bothered to knock on her door until one day their city broke it down to install some mandatory new appliances for all the residences. Anyway, the city workers discovered her skeletal remains that had been laying on the floor since her death in 1974- nineteen years earlier.

I'm not sure whether or not Mr. and/or Mrs. Hackman was difficult or nice as pie to their known current acquaintances, associates,etc.

However, regardless of what the cause/s of death is determined, it's downright SHAMEFUL that they didn't check up on them for over a week!

One of Gene Hackman's great roles was The Conversation (1974) I will say it would be weird for someone of his generation to be just fine with a nanny cam on him. It was just a few weeks out of contact

Edited Saturday at 09:27 PM by Raja

[badhaggis]

59 minutes ago, Mr. Sparkle said:

Absolute legend David Johansen dead at 75.

https://people.com/david-johansen-dead-new-york-dolls-singer-dies-at-75-11679388

Wow, I felt this in my soul. My teenage idols are disappearing. 

[Dimity]

5 minutes ago, Raja said:

On of Gene Hackman's great roles was The Conversation (1974) I will say it would be weird for someone of his generation to be just fine with a nanny cam on him. It was just a few weeks out of contact

And do we know there was no effort to contact them? An unanswered phone isn't always cause for concern, least of all when someone is only in their early 60s as Mrs. Hackman was. For all we know going weeks without contact was normal for them.

[giovannif7]

#RIP Buster Poindexter 😢😢😢

 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

3 hours ago, Dimity said:

And do we know there was no effort to contact them? An unanswered phone isn't always cause for concern, least of all when someone is only in their early 60s as Mrs. Hackman was. For all we know going weeks without contact was normal for them.

Wellness checks are a thing, though. Even outside of the modern technology @Blergh mentions, the police can be called to stop by an address and knock on the door if a person hasn't been heard from in a bit. 65 is not particularly old, but Gene Hackman was in his 90s. If his wife was his caregiver and not a nurse of some sort, if she's not regularly in contact with the family or a doctor who prescribes necessary medication, how does no one notice?

Edited Saturday at 07:31 PM by Cobalt Stargazer

[Annber03]

4 hours ago, giovannif7 said:

#RIP Buster Poindexter 😢😢😢

 

I remember this song being on some tape of '80s hits that I used to listen to all the time as a kid. 

[Fool to cry]

26 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

I remember this song being on some tape of '80s hits that I used to listen to all the time as a kid. 

I first became aware of him watching SNL reruns on Comedy Central in the early 90s. Had no idea of his earlier punk rock career or his real name!

A much nicer photo than the recent ones at a gas station. He still looks like the actor remember, just with less weight.

 

[Bastet]

5 hours ago, Blergh said:

Mrs. Hackman

Her name was Betsy Arakawa.

[BetterButter]

Angie Stone, Grammy-Nominated R&B Singer and Actress, Dies in Car Crash at 63

[Blergh]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

Her name was Betsy Arakawa.

I am well aware of that and she was the spouse of Gene Hackman.

If you have evidence that she insisted on being called Ms. Arakawa after her marriage instead of Mrs. Hackman, then I shall not refer to her as the latter.

 

[andromeda331]

On 2/28/2025 at 12:55 AM, roamyn said:

But he did bring up a good point.  He said, "for example, something could've happened to Mrs. Hackman, first.  And with Mr. Hacknan's advanced age she was most likely his caregiver."  That could also explain the dog that was caged.  No one to bring it food or water.  The others might've survived by scavenging, toilet water.  Horrifying as that might be, where were family & friends?  Why didn't his kids reach out if the couple hadn't been heard from in over a week?

That's what happened to my neighbors. They were an elderly couple. The husband had all the health problems and was in and out of hospital. His wife was his caretaker. The last few months he really wasn't "there" mentally or physically. She had a heart attack. Don't know if she died immediately or later because her husband was the only one there. He wouldn't have known or been able to get her help. He died a week later because no one was giving him his medication or help him when he had another stroke. It was really sad and really suck. The only one who could have gotten help either call 911 or from the neighbors died first. 

[Calvada]

I agree it is possible that Arakawa had some type of medical event and that Hackman either slipped and fell while trying to seek help or the stress caused his heart to give out.  I don't think we can assume no one checked in on them; perhaps there were emails or phone calls and it wasn't unusual that either Arakawa or Hackman wouldn't respond immediately.  His family probably thought he was fine because he was being taken care of by his wife who was three decades younger than he was. 

As a retired person who lives alone I have had thoughts about how long it might be until I was found if I died.  I'm close in age to Arakawa and I don't have anyone doing wellness checks even though -- as they say in sports -- we're all day to day.  

[Anduin]

7 hours ago, Blergh said:

I am well aware of that and she was the spouse of Gene Hackman.

If you have evidence that she insisted on being called Ms. Arakawa after her marriage instead of Mrs. Hackman, then I shall not refer to her as the latter.

 

All the articles I've read refer to her as Arakawa. You're the only one I've seen calling her Mrs Hackman.

[KWalkerInc]

I didn't know of Angie Stone's role in the early days of hip-hop, just her latter R&B career.  I kind of remember the group Vertical Hold; I think I had one of their songs on a mixtape.  She had some great songs, including "Wish I Didn't Miss You," which was mentioned in the article.  I found her cover of "Holding Back the Years" for the Love & Basketball soundtrack very moving and still listen to it.  She also performed the Girlfriends theme (though of course it was very short and didn't show off her talent) and guest-starred in one episode.  RIP.

 

[MissAlmond]

Actor Pilar Del Rey best known for playing Mrs. Obregón, whose baby, Angel, is cared for thanks to Elizabeth Taylor’s compassionate Leslie Benedict in the 1956 film Giant has died, age 95.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/pilar-del-rey-giant-actress-1236150368/

https://deadline.com/2025/02/pilar-del-rey-dead-giant-james-dean-1236303940/

[roamyn]

6 hours ago, Anduin said:

All the articles I've read refer to her as Arakawa. You're the only one I've seen calling her Mrs Hackman.

I called her Mrs. Hackman, too.  I didn't realize she went Arakawa.  I'm sure many have made that mistake when discussing this case. 

[praeceptrix]

As it happens,  Betsy Arakawa was important enough to merit her own obituary in the NY Times.

[tearknee]

as with the attempt to force the term "sex worker" as all-purpose term (being a sex worker is a choice, being a prostitute is not), the disparagement of those who choose the prefix Mrs. (although even those that do,neglect how to use it properly today - except on wedding invitations) seems like a 'heroic' reversal of this (freedom just as planned):

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ResistanceAsPlanned