Gene Hackman's Estate Seeks to Block Release of Death Investigation Records in Santa Fe Over Privacy Concerns

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Updated Mar 14, 2025, 10:47 AM

The estate of actor Gene Hackman is seeking to block the release of autopsy and investigative reports, including photographs and police body-camera footage, related to the recent deaths of Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa. The couple's partially mummified bodies were discovered on Feb. 26 in their Santa Fe home by maintenance and security workers. Hackman died at the age of 95 from heart disease complicated by Alzheimer's disease, with his pacemaker last showing activity on Feb. 18. Arakawa succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome a week earlier. Julia Peters, a representative for the estate, has urged a state district court in Santa Fe to seal the records, citing the family's right to privacy in grief under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The request emphasizes the potentially shocking nature of the images and the risk of their dissemination by the media. The couple, known for their private lifestyle in Santa Fe since Hackman's retirement, had lived there for over thirty years without showcasing their lifestyle publicly. The move to block the release of the records has sparked debate over transparency and public health concerns, particularly given the involvement of hantavirus. New Mexico's open records law blocks public access to sensitive images, including depictions of deceased individuals, but the bulk of death investigations are typically considered public records.

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Sources

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New York Post

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Gene Hackman’s estate attempts to block release of photographs, footage from death investigation https://t.co/P6VJLgbI8G https://t.co/i5iuM0Q4OE

CBS News

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Gene Hackman's estate is seeking to block the release of autopsy and investigative reports related to the recent deaths of Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa. https://t.co/e5zyB3mRAX