Representative for Gene Hackman Seeks to Block Release of Autopsy Reports
A representative for the estate of legendary actor Gene Hackman is seeking to prevent the public release of autopsy and investigative reports following the recent deaths of Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa. The couple was found deceased in their New Mexico home in February, with Hackman passing away from heart disease and Alzheimer’s complications, and Arakawa succumbing to a rare rodent-borne disease called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
The family’s representative, Julia Peters, cited the family’s right to privacy and the potentially shocking nature of the investigation materials as reasons to seal the records in the case. Hackman and Arakawa led a discreet lifestyle in Santa Fe, where they lived for over thirty years, away from the Hollywood spotlight.
New Mexico’s open records law generally allows access to death investigation records for the sake of government transparency and accountability, according to legal director Amanda Lavin. The involvement of hantavirus in the case also raises public health concerns.
The preemptive move to prevent the release of the records on constitutional grounds is considered unusual. Gene Hackman was a highly acclaimed actor known for iconic roles in movies such as “The French Connection” and “Superman,” while Betsy Arakawa was a concert pianist and the wife of Hackman for several decades.
As the legal battle over the release of the autopsy reports continues, fans and the public are left awaiting further information about the mysterious deaths of the Hollywood couple in their Santa Fe home.
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