Gene Hackman’s dog misidentified, investigation update reveals
Posted On
(Credits: Far Out / TCM)
According to a pet care specialist, authorities misidentified the breed of the dog that was found deceased alongside Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.
After the legendary French Connection star and his pianist wife were found partially mummified in their Santa Fe home on February 26th, investigators identified the dead canine found in a bathroom near Arakawa’s body as a brown German Shepard. It was also noted that two other dogs on the property were still alive.
However, Joey Padilla, owner of the Santa Fe Tails pet care facility, tasked with caring for the surviving animals, has revealed the deceased canine was Zinna, a kelpie mix. One of the surviving dogs is a German Shepard named Bear, while the other is an unconfirmed breed named Nikita.
In an email, Padilla revealed that Zinna “was always attached to Betsy at the hip, and it was a beautiful relationship. Zinna went from being a returned shelter dog to this incredible companion under Betsy’s hand.”
According to animal chiropractor Sherry Gaber, Hackman and Arakawa were dedicated to their dogs. She told USA Today that the couple rescued both Zinna and Bear, with the latter being taken home after being found abandoned on the side of the road. “They wanted to do all the right things for their animals because they loved them so deeply,” Gaber said.
A Sheriff’s Office spokesperson revealed that no necropsy was performed on Zinna to ascertain a cause of death. In truth, though, the investigation into the tragic incident has yet to clarify the cause of death for Hackman or Arakawa either.
The sheriff noted that toxicology reports may not be complete for several months, but preliminary work revealed that the bodies tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning. No significant gas leaks were discovered in the home, aside from a small leak from one stove burner that could not have been fatal. In addition, the bodies displayed no signs of external trauma.
[embedded content]
Related Topics
