Sheriff reveals how long he thinks Gene Hackman and wife were dead before he was discovered

• Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza shared on Today Show that it “looked” as hackman and arakawa were “(deceased for) several days, even up to a couple of weeks”
• Mendoza said the investigators “tried to put together a timeline” of the couple’s last days alive and who they may have seen or “talked to”
• He also noted “It is very difficult to determine if they both passed at the same time or how close they passed” and that the autopsy would give more insight

Legendary actor Genhackman And his wife Betsy Arakawa were likely to kill for several days or even weeks before their bodies were found by the police, according to Santa Fe County Sheriff.

While you show up on Today Show on Friday February 28, Adan Mendoza shared some insight into the possible timeline for Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths and their investigation after alternates Found the couple deceased In separate rooms in their Santa Fe -home along with one of their dogs on February 26. Two other dogs were discovered alive and healthy on the property.

“It is very difficult to put together a timeline even with the help of the medical investigator’s office,” Mendoza said. “Only based on their body and other evidence of the body it looked – it seems (that they were deceased in) several days, even up to a couple of weeks.”

Mendoza added that they “tried to put together a timeline” of the couple’s last days alive and who they may have seen or “spoken to.” But he said it was a “challenge” as the actor, 95 and classical pianist, 64, was “very private individuals and a private family.”

He also noted that it was “difficult to determine” if the couple – who had been married for over 30 years – died in the house at about the same time. Mendoza said it was one of the factors they looked at in their investigation.

“There is no indication that someone was about the house or did anything else, so it is very difficult to determine if they both passed at the same time or how close they passed together,” he said. “We try to put together that information … and I think the autopsy report will be the key to this investigator.”

Santa Fere Chief Brian Moya, who agreed to Mendoza on TodayFound that because Hackman and Arakawa were found “several days” after their death, some type of leakage “possibly” may have been a factor in the couple’s death. Hackman’s daughter Elizabeth Jean Hackman previously shared that their family suspected that they may have died because of toxic vapors, as carbon monoxide.

Never miss a story – register for People’s free daily newsletters Keeping up to date on the best of what people have to offer, from celebrity news to compelling stories of human interest.

“It was a home with natural gas in itself, so it could have (played a factor in their deaths),” said Moya. “There are many unanswered (questions) there. When we arrived, we made sure that our people as well as the sheriff were safe and there was nothing we found. We also went back yesterday to do another round of searches … and we found nothing so good.”

Moya and Mendoza also discussed other parts of the investigation, including the places for the bodies – Moya noted that one was found in the “living room” while another was found “a little longer” – and also the fact that an open prescription bottle with pills sprayed was found on stage.

“It is obviously very important evidence,” Mendoza said. “… we look at it specifically and other medicines that may be in the home. So it’s something worrying. ”

In the issuance of a search order reviewed by people, a sheriff’s deputy wrote Arakawa’s body in a bathroom near an open bottle of pills with capsules scattered. The German shepherd was found in a wardrobe about 10 to 15 meters away.

Mendoza, however, also explained that he was sure that no “foul play” was involved “based on the lack of evidence” at the site that pointed to it, but admitted investigators “does not exclude it.”

“I think the autopsy results, the official results will help us steer us in the right direction,” Mendoza said. “… the autopsy is the key. It will take some time, so I hope a little patience from the family, from everyone’s side, so we can get some answers to these deaths. ”

In a news message on February 27, Mendoza reiterated that there were no obvious signs of Foul Play “on the site, but still meant the circumstances of the deaths” unusual. ”

The actor was a five times Oscar Nominated — and twice the winner-and received recognition when he broke out in the movie 1967 Bonnie and Clyde. He also played the villain Lex Luthor in the film in 1978 in particular. Supermanand has had a diverse career with roles in the animated film 1998 Anti and comedy from 1996 The bird.

Hackman shared Three children with his first wife Faye Maltese: Christopher Allen Hackman, 63, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, 61, and Leslie Ann Hackman, 57.