Gene Hackman and wife’s times of death may be near-impossible to determine
Adding mystery to the shocking double-passing, experts say Gene Hackman and his wife’s times of death may be near-impossible to determine.
Gene Hackman and his wife’s times of death may be near-impossible to determine.
An expert has revealed putting a time on death becomes increasingly difficult once a body has undergone significant decomposition, especially when mummification occurs – after the bodies of Gene, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered in that condition on 26 February at their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home after the couple had been out of contact with friends and family for several days.
Dr James Gill, Chief Medical Examiner for Connecticut, explained mummification can make it impossible to establish the exact timing of death.
He told People: “Once you get to that mummification stage, there’s nothing to be able to distinguish the two deaths timewise.”
The expert added environmental factors such as dryness and heat can accelerate decomposition, making it harder to pinpoint the cause and time of death.
He said: “Generally, dry environments will cause mummification to occur more quickly than in a non-dry environment.”
Gene’s wife Betsy was found on the bathroom floor of their home near a space heater, while the actor was later discovered in the mudroom.
Both showed signs of advanced decomposition, and its appeared the bodies had been dead for at least 10 days before being discovered.
A family dog was also found lifeless at the scene.
Forensic pathologist Judy Melinek, who also spoke to People, added it’s very difficult to determine time of death once decomposition has set in.
She said: “Once the body is decomposed, it’s a lot harder to do.”
The expert added early indicators including rigor mortis and body temperature help in the initial stages of putting a time on death, but are unreliable once decomposition progresses.
Investigators are left in those cases to rely more on circumstantial evidence such as when the deceased were last seen alive or when mail began to pile up at the residence.
Authorities have ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning as the cause of death of Gene and Betsy, and the reason behind the couple’s deaths remains under investigation.
