Gene Hackman’s daughter wishes for the beloved actor’s dog to be laid to rest alongside his wife, Betsy Arakawa.
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Newly released bodycam footage from the day after the Hoosiers star, 95, and his pianist wife were discovered dead at their New Mexico home last month reveals a poignant moment. The late actor’s daughter, Elizabeth, is seen ensuring that their kelpie mix, Zinna, will be laid to rest alongside Arakawa, 65, as a final tribute.
Bodycam footage from February 27, released by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office as part of the Hackman investigation and obtained by People, captures an officer calling Elizabeth, 62, from inside a patrol car. The officer seeks guidance on what to do with the body of the cherished dog, discovered deceased alongside the late couple in their home.
Elizabeth, the middle child of Gene’s three children, begins by asking the officer whether cremation is an option for Zinna. He answers that it is, to which she responds, “I’m thinking cremate the dog and bury it with Betsy.”
“If the dog is wearing a collar, could you save that for me?” she later asked the officer.
Footage Shows a Dog Trainer Familiar with Hackman and Arakawa Telling Authorities ‘They Loved Their Dogs’
A bodycam video recorded outside the couple’s home on February 26 shows a dog trainer, Joey Padilla, familiar with the pair, reflecting on how deeply the couple cared for their pets. In addition to Zinna, the couple had two other dogs, Bear and Nikita, whom they adored.
“They were dog nuts,” Padilla told authorities in the footage, per People. “You can see, there’s toys everywhere around their property. They loved their dogs,” he added.
Meanwhile, a temporary order has been issued restricting the release of any photos, videos, or police bodycam footage showing the interior of the Hackmans’ residence.
Before marrying Arakawa in 1991, Hackman had three children with his first wife, Faye Maltese: Christopher (63), Elizabeth (61), and Leslie (57).
The causes of Hackman and Arakawa’s deaths were disclosed in March, several weeks after their passing. Arakawa succumbed to hantavirus, a flu-like illness associated with exposure to rodent droppings. Hackman died a week later due to a combination of severe heart disease, high blood pressure, and advanced Alzheimer’s disease.
Zinna likely succumbed to dehydration and starvation, according to a prior statement from Santa Fe County Animal Control.