New Mexico
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s bodies still unclaimed more than a month after their deaths
The bodies of Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa remain unclaimed at a New Mexico medical examiner’s office more than a month after their deaths, according to reports.
Hackman and Arakawa – whose bodies were found in their Santa Fe home on Feb. 26 – were still on the New Mexico Medical Examiner’s unclaimed decedents list as of Monday, TMZ reported.
That list is updated each week, indicating that as of days ago they were still lying in the local morgue.
But bodies lying unclaimed for up to a month is not necessarily unusual, officials told TMZ, indicating that the 95-year-old actor’s family could still be making funeral arrangements.
Hackman had long been open about his rocky relationship with his three kids, Chritopher, 65, Elizabeth, 63, and 58-year-old Leslie, commenting later in life how his career often kept him from home and distanced him from raising his family.
The father and his kids eventually reconciled, however.
After his death, the kids released a statement mourning their loss.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy,” they said.
“He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
But none of them were named in their father’s will – with the entirety of his $80 million fortune reportedly going to Betsy, 65, who was his second wife and not the mother of his kids.
It remains unclear what will become of the cash.
The husband and wife were found dead in their home about two weeks after they’re believed to have died inside.
Arakawa is believed to have died about a week before Hackman after contracting a rare flu-like disease – hantavirus — carried by rodents, according to New Mexico Chief Medical Examiner Heather Jarrell.
Hackman is believed to have died days later from heart complications. He was also suffering from Alzheimer’s.
“He was in a very poor state of health,” Jarrell said at a press conference earlier in March. “He was in an advanced state of Alzheimer’s disease and it was quite possible he did not know that she was deceased.”
SANTA FE, N.M. — Former New Mexico Public Regulation Commissioner Jim Ellison is running for governor as a Republican, he announced on social media Tuesday.
Ellison is running on affordability, opportunity and trust in government as the key points of his campaign. His experience includes serving on the NMPRC in 2023 and 2024.
“New Mexico deserves leadership that listens, acts, and delivers results. Our state has enormous potential, but too often that potential is held back by policies that don’t serve everyday New Mexicans,” he said on his website. “I’m running to bring practical solutions, honest accountability, and a renewed focus on the public interest.”
A Georgia native, Ellison has lived in New Mexico for 20 years and currently lives in the Albuquerque area with his wife and two children.
Ellison is aiming to get 5,000 signatures by Feb. 2, to appear on the primary ballot with at least three other Republicans who have announced their candidacy.
Ultra Health CEO Duke Rodriguez announced his campaign in December and recently confirmed to KOB 4 that he received enough signatures to appear on the primary ballot. Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull and New Mexico State Sen. Steve Lanier are also running.
Three Democrats are running – Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman, Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Former Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A successful University of New Mexico Lobo athletics season and the athletics director’s departure has culminated in players and coaches making moves.
The moves follow a successful 2025 season and the departure of athletics director Fernando Lovo.
Running back coach John Johnson, special teams coordinator Daniel Da Prato and wide receiver coach Colin Lockett are all leaving the Lobos after just one season. Johnson is headed to Iowa State while Da Prato is expected to join Minnesota and Lockett is headed to UCLA, all for the same jobs.
Johnson’s Lobo running backs ran for more than 1,400 yards. Da Prato’s special teams finished top-five nationally in kickoff returns.
Running back D.J. McKinney entered the portal, he confirmed on social media the day the portal officially opened. McKinney rushed for 464 yards and seven touchdowns with the Lobos.
Two players who received all-Mountain West Conference recognition also made moves. All-Mountain West tight-end Dorian Thomas, who caught for touchdowns for the Lobos, entered the portal. Meanwhile, all-Mountain West honorable mention punter Daniel Hughes is set to leave.
Others set to leave include:
- Cole Welliver, backup quarterback who played in one game
- Landon Williams, defensive end who graduated from La Cueva High School
- Randolph Kpai, senior linebacker who is at the end of his college football career without a waiver
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