The mysterious and disturbing death of Gene Hackman and his wife and dog rocked the nation, and still has many scratching their heads as to what could have possibly happened to them.
Many speculated initially, including family members, that the likely cause of death was carbon monoxide or possibly gas poisoning.
However, according to Fox News, Hackman and his wife tested negative for carbon monoxide, making their deaths even more perplexing as authorities said that based on his pacemaker data, Hackman had been dead for about nine days.
According to Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, the last event recorded on Hackman's pacemaker was on Feb. 17.
According to the pathologist, I think that is a very good assumption that that was his last day of life," the Santa Fe sheriff told reporters this week, referring to the last dated event on his pacemaker.
Sheriff Mendoza also confirmed that Hackman and his wife "tested negative for carbon monoxide," adding, "The manner and cause of death has not been determined."
"One of the things is, in an investigation we try to piece the timeline together, usually before the event happens, and that gives us a lot of information," Mendoza said. "But in this case, it seems like we're doing a reverse timeline," the sheriff added.
Gene Hackman and his wife tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning as their cause of death remains unknown.
The actor’s pacemaker indicates he died on February 17 — over a week before he, his wife, and dog were found dead. pic.twitter.com/mfCh2BIRiM
— Pop Base (@PopBase) February 28, 2025
Mendoza added, "We're doing a timeline from the time of death and the autopsy and the results. We're going to start working our way backwards. We're going to do both and then hopefully make a determination as to what may have happened to both of the individuals."
The two were last photographed together in March of 2024.
Users across social media weighed in on the mysterious deaths.
"When did the wife die. That is the real question," one X user wrote.
Another X user wrote, "I'm gonna take a stab at this. Gene’s heart gives out. His wife finds his body. So distraught, she takes her own life with pills. The dog senses something is up. He won't stop barking. She puts him in the kennel and downs the pills. As she falls, she knocks over the pills."
Regardless of how it all happened, it's beyond sad. Hopefully, the family receives some closure soon.
