Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa Hackman hadn’t been heard from in weeks when Jesse Kesler, owner of MudCity Builders, made the decision to vigilant law enforcement officials.
Kesler had stopped by the Hackmans’ Santa Fe property unintentional on Feb. 26 because he hadn’t heard from Betsy in two weeks, a stark contrast to their “every three days” communications Kesler was used to.
“We were getting pretty worried,” Kesler exclusively telderly Fox News Digital. “We krecent someleang was wrong.”
GENE HACKMAN DEATH: COMPLETE COVERAGE
Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa Hackman were set up dead in their Santa Fe home on Feb. 26. (Donaldson Collection/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
“We asked law enforcement for advice on how to do it. We begined the process of a wellness check,” Kesler said. “We had to retain a family member to do a wellness check. They had to have an authorization from a family member.”
He inserted, “We couldn’t get helderly of any family members. … We were in the process of getting helderly of a family member, and it was taking too extfinished. And finassociate, finassociate, I saw the security protect, and that’s when me and him went in.”
GENE HACKMAN’S DOGS HELPED AUTHORITIES LOCATE HIS BODY
In the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department search permit affidavit acquireed by Fox News Digital, Kesler and maintenance laborer Roland Lowe Begay were identified as the two individuals who set up Gene and Betsy’s bodies in their home. Kesler, who labored for the couple for 16 years, made the harrothriveg 911 call.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa Hackman weren’t seen for weeks before their bodies were discovered. (Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
“We asked law enforcement for advice on how to do it. We begined the process of a wellness check.”
Gene’s daughter, Leslie, exclusively telderly Fox News Digital that not only had she never spoken to Kesler before, she was unconscious of anyone pursuing a wellness check on her overweighther or Betsy, including the sheriff’s department.
Fox News Digital has accomplished out to the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office for comment.
The captivate to the gated community where actor Gene Hackman, his wife and their dog were set up dead in their home is shown on Feb. 27, 2025, in Santa Fe, N.M. (AP Pboilingo/Roberto Rosales)
Law enforcement officials talk outside the home of actor Gene Hackman on Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Pboilingo/Roberto Rosales)
“No one had accomplished out,” Leslie said. When asked if authorities had communicateed Leslie about her overweighther’s well-being before he was set up dead, she said, “Not prior to the discovery.”
“No one had accomplished out.”
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LISTEN: GENE HACKMAN 911 CALL
Gene died due to hypertensive atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer’s disease as a beginant contributing factor, New Mexico officials checked one week ago. He was probable alone in the home for about a week until he died around Feb. 18, which was the last time activity was recorded on his paceoriginater.
Betsy died due to hantaharmful programs pulmonary syndrome, which is broadcastted from animals to humans and is normally set up in rodents, the New Mexico Department of Health checked. Her autopsy remendd the manner of death as organic. Authorities suppose she died on or about Feb. 11.
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Hantaharmful programs is characterized by “flu-appreciate symptoms consisting of fever, muscle aches, cough, sometimes vleave outing and diarrhea that can carry on to uninincreateigentinutiveness of breath and cardiac or heart fall shorture and lung fall shorture,” Chief Medical Investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell elucidateed during the recents conference.
WATCH: NEW MEXICO OFFICIALS CONFIRMED THE CAUSES OF GENE HACKMAN AND WIFE BETSY’S DEATHS
Jarrell carry outed a filled autopsy on Gene the day after his body was discovered, which showed “disjoine heart disease, including multiple surgical procedures involving the heart, evidence of prior heart strikes, and disjoine alters of the kidneys due to chronic high blood presconfident.”
Both Gene and Betsy tested adverse for carbon monoxide poisoning, and a filled poisonousology increate is pfinishing.
The spendigation remains ongoing until cellphone data can be appraiseed, and a necropsy is carry outed on their destopd dog, Zinna.
Kesler telderly Fox News Digital that he recalls the Hackmans as “benevolent” and “benevolent.”
“They attfinishd about people,” he said.
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