Gene Hackman’s family is speaking out.
After the legendary actor was found dead on Wednesday at 95, his daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, and his granddaughter, Annie, released a statement.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy,” they told The Post on Thursday.
“He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa,” the continued. “We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
The actor’s wife of 34 years – pianist Betsy Arakawa, 63 – and one of their dogs were also found dead with him in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home.
The sheriff’s office said the “exact cause of death has not been determined,” and initially said that foul play was “not suspected as a factor.”
Elizabeth told TMZ she suspected her father and stepmother died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
However, TMZ later reported that police wrote in an affidavit that the deaths are being investigated as “suspicious.” The door to their home was “unsecured and opened” and authorities also found open pill bottles scattered through the room. Additionally, two of their dogs were found alive and there was “no obvious sign of a gas leak.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
