Initial autopsy findings say no external trauma on Gene Hackman and wife
New Mexico authorities continue to probe the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, whose bodies were found in their Santa Fe home on Wednesday under circumstances that one detective on the case called 'suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.'
The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator's initial autopsy findings said neither Hackman nor Arakawa showed any sign of external trauma, the sheriff's office said in a statement Thursday.
Authorities who initially arrived at the scene said they found no signs of forced entry and no apparent signs of foul play in the couple's deaths. Sheriff Adan Mendoza, however, has said investigators are not ruling anything out just yet.
According to a search warrant obtained by NBC affiliate KOB, deputies from the Santa Fe Sheriff's Office found Arakawa in a bathroom by a countertop that had pills strewn about, as well as a dead German Shepherd in the bathroom closet. Hackman was found in what appeared to be the mud room; one deputy speculated that he had fallen suddenly.
Two other healthy dogs were found on the property, according to the warrant.
Mendoza said at a news conference on Thursday that the couple had been deceased 'for quite a while' when deputies found their bodies. He also told 'The Today Show' that it was 'very difficult to put a timeline together' to determine how long they had been dead, 'just based on their body and other evidence on the body.'
'It appears, several days, possibly even up to a couple weeks,' he said.
Authorities have said they found no obvious signs of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning and no evidence to indicate an issue with the gas pipes in or around the house. Carbon monoxide and toxicology tests have been requested.
Hackman and Arakawa, a classical pianist, were married for more than 30 years. The couple's death has led to an outpouring of tributes from loved ones and Hackman's former colleagues.
The sheriff's office has scheduled a news conference to provide updates on the investigation on Friday at 3 p.m. MT.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
This article was originally published on MSNBC.com
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