Tragedy and Misidentification: Unraveling the Mystery Surrounding Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s Deaths

The quaint, artistic community of Santa Fe, New Mexico, was recently shaken by the news of the deaths of Hollywood icon Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa. However, the initial reports were riddled with errors and misinformation, adding layers of confusion and grief to an already devastating situation.

Sherry Gaber, an animal chiropractor with a long-standing relationship with the couple, received a flurry of text messages from concerned friends, each bearing the grim news. The reports indicated that not only had Hackman and Arakawa passed away, but their beloved German shepherd, Bear, had also perished. This detail struck Gaber particularly hard, as she had treated Bear just months prior, finding him vibrant and full of life. The thought of the dog meeting a tragic end, possibly confined in a closet, crate, or bathroom as suggested by conflicting news reports, was unbearable.

"I can’t handle that image," Gaber confessed, highlighting the profound distress the incorrect information caused. "That’s why this whole thing is so distressing."

However, the initial reports were fundamentally flawed. Bear, the German shepherd Gaber had recently treated, was very much alive and safe at a local pet daycare facility, alongside the couple’s other dog, Nikita, an Akita-shepherd mix. The dog who had tragically died in the Hackman home was, in fact, Zinna, a 12-year-old Australian Kelpie mix with a history of agility training and a brief stint competing at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Her body was discovered in a closed crate within the residence.

The misidentification of Zinna has raised serious questions about the thoroughness of the initial investigation into Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths. The couple was found in separate rooms of their Santa Fe estate, and the state of their bodies suggested they had been deceased for over a week. As investigators work to determine the cause of death for the acclaimed actor and his wife, the error in identifying the deceased dog casts a shadow of doubt on other aspects of their investigation.

According to the affidavit for a search warrant, sheriff’s deputies reported finding "a deceased brown in color German-Shepard [sic] canine" at the scene. This inaccurate description, disseminated through the media, led friends and acquaintances to believe that Bear had died alongside his owners.

When contacted by USA TODAY, Denise Womack-Avila, a spokeswoman for the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office leading the investigation, stated that she was unaware of the mistaken dog identity. She suggested that the deputies might have simply misidentified the breed, acknowledging that canine identification is not a regular part of their duties. "Our deputies do not deal with canines on a daily basis and I cannot currently speak to the condition or state of the dog’s body upon discovery," Womack-Avila explained in a text message.

Upon learning that it was Zinna, not Bear, who had died in the home, Gaber expressed immense relief. "My body’s just shaking right now," she said. "I’m grateful [it’s not Bear]. It’s still a tragic story."

Gaber’s relationship with Hackman and Arakawa spanned over 18 years, beginning when the couple sought her expertise in animal chiropractic care. Arakawa had been deeply impressed by Gaber’s work with a buffalo, documented in the book "A Buffalo in the House," and reached out to her shortly after.

Over the years, Arakawa consistently brought her dogs to Gaber for adjustments, fostering a close bond between the two women. They would often meet for dinner or shopping excursions, solidifying their friendship beyond the professional realm. Gaber’s practice focused on aligning the upper cervical spine to improve communication between the body and brain, and she had treated a wide array of animals, including dogs, cats, bald eagles, owls, and even a porcupine.

Arakawa’s dedication to her dogs was evident in her efforts to train Zinna for agility competitions. After rescuing Zinna from a shelter, she hired a trainer and invested time and energy into preparing her for events like the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Gaber provided chiropractic care to Zinna before and after training sessions, helping her maintain peak performance. Even after Zinna retired from agility, Arakawa continued to bring her and the other dogs in for regular adjustments.

"They wanted to do all the right things for their animals because they loved them so deeply," Gaber said, emphasizing the couple’s unwavering commitment to their pets’ well-being.

The last time Gaber saw Arakawa was in October, when she brought in Bear for an adjustment. The rescued German shepherd seemed to enjoy his session, and Gaber and Arakawa shared laughter and made plans to meet again soon. The subsequent news of their deaths, compounded by the mistaken report of Bear’s demise, was a devastating blow.

Joey Padilla, who had provided care and training for the couple’s dogs for many years, was contacted by the handyman who discovered the bodies. He was asked to retrieve the surviving dogs, Bear and Nikita, from the property.

Padilla found Bear near Arakawa’s body, while Nikita was roaming the backyard, wary of the activity. Animal control had already secured Bear, but Nikita proved difficult to catch. Eventually, she was trapped overnight and retrieved the following day.

Padilla has taken the dogs into his care at his pet daycare facility, ensuring they will not be sent to a shelter. The fate of Bear and Nikita will ultimately be determined by the couple’s will and legal representatives.

In the midst of the tragedy, the Santa Fe community has rallied to support the surviving dogs. A local company has donated food, and a veterinary hospital offered to cremate Zinna. However, authorities have retained Zinna’s body as part of the ongoing investigation.

Padilla expressed his certainty that Hackman and Arakawa did everything possible to care for their dogs, up until the very end. "I think this is a tragic accident," he said. "There’s no way that Betsy would have left that dog in a crate for any other reason."

The investigation into the deaths of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa continues, with the misidentification of Zinna serving as a stark reminder of the potential for errors and the importance of accuracy in sensitive investigations. The tragic loss of the couple has left a void in the Santa Fe community, and the circumstances surrounding their deaths remain shrouded in mystery.