Gene Hackman’s Secluded Mansion Still a Gem Despite Rodent Infestation and Tragic Deaths.
Real estate agents believe the sprawling Santa Fe home of late Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, will still attract serious interest — despite unsettling reports of rodent infestation and the tragic deaths of the couple within its walls.
Ken Martinez of Keller Williams Realty, Jer Collins of Exp Realty, and Shak Bani of Santa Fe Properties told TMZ that while the $4 million estate has had pest issues, those can be resolved — and the secluded charm of the property will likely appeal to buyers looking for privacy and prestige.
Photo: AP
“Rodents are pretty standard in this region,” said one of the agents, brushing off the concerns. “It’s nothing that can’t be addressed with the right prevention and care.”
In New Mexico, sellers are not legally required to disclose that someone died in a home. And in this case, the agents don’t believe the grim history will deter potential buyers. In fact, Collins noted that the media coverage of the property might even draw curious or intrigued purchasers. “It’s the kind of house that draws attention — and for the right reasons, too,” he told TMZ.
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Earlier this week, the residence made headlines when it was revealed the property had become a "breeding ground for infestation" prior to Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths. A March environmental inspection by the New Mexico Department of Public Health uncovered dead rodents, droppings, and nests across eight buildings on the estate.
Photo: Santa Fe Sheriff's Office
Page Six also obtained police body-cam images from the scene, revealing unsettling conditions: prescription medications, unused COVID-19 test kits, and disturbing signs of neglect including feces, urine, and even a blood-stained pillow. Authorities also discovered the body of one of the couple’s dogs, Zinna, inside a crate — the animal likely died of dehydration and starvation.
Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were discovered on February 26 by a longtime contractor. Arakawa reportedly died nearly a week earlier from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare but often fatal rodent-borne illness. Hackman’s cause of death was determined to be hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with his advanced Alzheimer’s disease likely contributing to his lack of awareness that his wife had passed.
Photo: Santa Fe Sheriff's Office
Despite the tragic circumstances, the couple's surviving dogs helped lead responders to Hackman's body after a lengthy search through the vast property.
The pair, who married in 1991, were buried after a small private memorial attended by Hackman’s children — Christopher, Elizabeth, and Leslie — from his first marriage to Faye Maltese.
Santa Fe Sheriff's Office
While the heartbreaking story of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s final days casts a somber shadow, the legacy of their home remains. Set against the stunning New Mexico landscape, the mansion — despite its recent troubles — is a beautiful, tranquil place. It’s tragic that their lives ended in such sorrow, but the home they built together still holds the warmth of its history and the potential for a new chapter.
