Gene Hackman’s daughter, Leslie, opened up about her dad’s passing and revealed what could be the reason that led to the tragedy that shook the world.
Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, were found dead in their Santa Fe home on Wednesday, although the exact time of their passing is not known. One of their dogs was also found dead alongside the couple.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Heckman’s daughter revealed that despite being close to her father, it’s been “a few months” since she had last seen or heard her father.
According to her, “Everything was normal and everything was good” and “despite his age, he was in very good physical condition.” Leslie also told the publication that “He liked to do Pilates and yoga, and he was continuing to do that several times a week. So he was in good health.”
Leslie and her sister Elizabeth assume that their dad and their stepmother died by inhaling toxic fumes due to a carbon monoxide leak.
“The house is fairly modern, built in 2000,” Elizabeth shared with TMZ, “but we don’t know if there were any issues with gas leaks or if there were any recent service calls to the property.”
Authorities answered to a call by a concerned neighbor who was performing a welfare check on the property.
Deputies arrived at the scene along with members of the fire department who helped ensure there were no lingering toxic fumes that could endanger anyone else.
Elizabeth said that following her father’s retirement, he and wife Betsy led a quiet life. She also revealed that Hackman’s favorite movie was The French Connection, a role that cemented his place on the list of Hollywood icons.
It was back in 2004 that Hackman revealed he would no longer be making films, sharing with Larry King that he had no productions lined up for the future.
Gene Hackman was a two-times Oscar winner who could play any role.