- A New Mexico judge ruled that redacted police body camera footage and records from the Gene Hackman death investigation can be released. However, images of Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their bodies must remain obscured.
- The ruling followed objections from Arakawa’s mother, Yoshie Feaster, who pleaded for privacy, citing the emotional toll of potentially seeing images of her family’s deaths shared publicly.
- Hackman died from cardiovascular disease with Alzheimer’s as a contributing factor, while Arakawa succumbed to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Their deaths were discovered alongside one deceased dog and two surviving pets.
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A New Mexico judge on Monday, March 31, ruled that portions of the Gene Hackman death investigation can be released to the public. However, authorities must obscure any images showing the bodies of Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa. The ruling comes after The Associated Press, CBS News and CBS Studios intervened in the suit to make the information public.
Redacted footage cleared for release
Judge Matthew Wilson approved releasing redacted police footage and records from the investigation. Still, he emphasized strict limits, stating, “There shall be no depiction of either body in any video production” or photographs, according to the Associated Press.
Family pleads for privacy
The ruling comes after intense objections from Arakawa’s mother, Yoshie Feaster, according to People. In a court filing, Feaster urged the judge to protect her family’s privacy, writing, “I humbly come before this court to request that this court respect my right to grieve in peace and find that I have a constitutional right to avoid seeing images of my daughter’s home, her dead body, her husband’s dead body, and their dog’s corpse.”
Feaster warned these images could be shared publicly, amplifying her pain and the spectacle around their deaths.
Disturbing discovery at Santa Fe home
Authorities found the couple deceased in their Santa Fe home on Feb. 26. Both bodies showed decomposition, indicating several days had passed since their deaths. Additionally, authorities found one of their three dogs dead, while two others were alive.
The court ruled images of the deceased dog can be released. A state veterinarian determined the animal died from dehydration and starvation.
Causes of death confirmed
Arakawa, 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome — a rare and deadly disease transmitted by rodents. Hackman, 94, succumbed to hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with advanced Alzheimer’s disease listed as a contributing factor.
