Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered in a partially mummified state inside their $3.3 million mansion, with prescription pills scattered across the bathroom.

According to an arrest warrant obtained by DailyMail.com, 64-year-old Arakawa was found in a state of decomposition, with bloating on her face and mummification evident on her hands and feet.

Sheriffs reported that Hackman showed similar decomposition signs as his wife.

Mummification happens when a body’s skin and tissues become naturally preserved after death. While most associate the process with ancient Egyptian practices, it can also occur in environments with cold, dry air, where bacterial growth is slowed. Santa Fe’s winter climate is known to have such conditions.

A space heater was found next to Arakawa’s head, and investigators suspect it may have fallen.

Hackman’s body was located in a mudroom near the kitchen, as described in the warrant. Officers initially spotted his legs from the doorway before confirming his presence in the room.

The Oscar-winning Superman actor was fully dressed in gray sweatpants, a long-sleeved blue shirt, and brown slippers. His sunglasses and walking cane were found beside him, leading authorities to consider the possibility of a sudden fall.

Arakawa was dressed in dark gray sweatpants and a light-colored sweatshirt.

Firefighters were called to the scene, but no gas leak was detected.

Hackman’s daughter, Elizabeth, speculated earlier on Thursday that carbon monoxide poisoning could have caused their deaths.

One of the couple’s three dogs, a German Shepherd, was found dead in a closet about 10 to 15 feet from Arakawa’s body. Initial reports claimed the dog was inside a kennel, but later findings confirmed otherwise. The couple’s two other dogs survived.

One of the surviving dogs was discovered near Betsy’s body, while the other was found wandering the property.

Two maintenance workers, Roland Lowe Begay and Jesse Kesler, were the ones who discovered the bodies at the couple’s luxurious Santa Fe mansion on Wednesday at 1:46 p.m. Mountain Time.

Authorities withheld the couple’s identities for nearly 12 hours, likely due to the circumstances surrounding their discovery.

Begay and Kesler informed investigators that they had not seen Hackman and Arakawa for two weeks. It is believed that both had been deceased for some time before being found.

A detective noted in the search warrant that “the nature of their deaths appeared suspicious enough to warrant a thorough investigation.”

Arakawa was discovered lying on her right side on the bathroom floor, with an open bottle of prescription pills spilled across the nearby countertop. Authorities have yet to confirm what the medication was or whether it belonged to Hackman or Arakawa.

The couple’s front door was found open, with no evidence of forced entry.

According to the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Department, there is no indication of foul play, though the investigation remains ongoing.

Hackman, a two-time Academy Award winner with an estimated fortune of $80 million, had just celebrated his 95th birthday in late January. After retiring from acting in 2004, he withdrew from the public eye, choosing a secluded life in New Mexico and never returning to Los Angeles.

Over the years, friends occasionally offered glimpses into his life post-Hollywood, sharing social media photos of his fishing trips while reminiscing about his cinematic legacy. Hackman was also occasionally seen cycling through the streets of Santa Fe.

Renowned for his gruff yet beloved persona, Hackman was widely regarded as one of the finest actors of his generation. He played a range of characters—from villains to heroes and morally complex antiheroes—across numerous dramas, comedies, and action films spanning from the 1960s to the early 2000s.

A five-time Oscar nominee, Hackman won Best Actor for The French Connection in 1972 and later took home Best Supporting Actor for Unforgiven in 1992. His passing comes just four days before this year’s Academy Awards ceremony.

Hackman met his wife, Betsy Arakawa, a classically trained pianist from Hawaii, in the mid-1980s while she was working part-time at a gym in California. As reported by The New York Times in 1989, the couple quickly formed a close bond and soon moved in together. By the end of the decade, they had settled in Santa Fe, where they built a life away from the spotlight.