Everything we know about Gene Hackman's death - forensic bombshell to autopsy results

and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead at their home in Santa Fe in February. The two-time Oscar-winning actor, 95, had been married to classical pianist Betsy, 65, since 1991.

The Hollywood icon retired from his six-decade long career in 2004, living a reclusive life with wife Betsy in New Mexico. In a heartbreaking turn of events, the couple were discovered deceased alongside one of their dogs.

However, weeks on from their tragic passing, investigators are still unable to determine what caused their deaths. Gene's two daughters originally believed it could have been down to a gas leak, however, the couple both tested negative for carbon monoxide, likely ruling it out as a potential cause of death.

Despite investigators believing no foul play was involved, Gene and Betsy's deaths are still shrouded with mystery. Here is everything we know so far.

Gene and Betsy were found dead during a welfare check on 26 February after their neighbour called in concerned about their well-being.

Betsy was discovered on the bathroom floor, with a bottle of prescription pills strewn across a countertop. It was uncertain what the pills were or whether they had been prescribed to Betsy or Gene.

Authorities later confirmed that the pills found near Betsy were "significant evidence" and "of concern".

Santa Fe sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed they had been passed onto the medical investigator, adding: "We're looking at [the pills] specifically, and other medications possibly in the residence."

Betsy was found in a state of decomposition, with facial bloating and mummification of her hands and feet. Gene was located in a mud room adjacent to their kitchen and was found in a similar condition to his wife.

, a German Shepherd named Zinna, had been crated at the time and is thought to have died from dehydration or starvation.

Gene's pacemaker recorded its last event on 17 February, suggesting the couple could have been dead for at least nine days before they were discovered.

However, the local medical examiner explained that Gene's pacemaker stopping "does not necessarily dictate his time of death". Santa Fe fire chief Brian Moya suggested that .

However, chief medical examiner for Connecticut Dr James Gill - who isn't working directly on the case - claimed .

He explained: "Once you get to that mummification stage, there's nothing to be able to distinguish the two deaths timewise. Generally, dry environments will cause mummification to occur more quickly than in a non-dry environment.

Forensic pathologist Judy Melinek added to People Magazine: "Once the body is decomposed, it's a lot harder to do."

There were concerns that Gene could have fallen before his death after a pair of sunglasses and a cane were located near his body. Meanwhile, a black space heater was found next to Betsy.

An officer "suspected the heater could have fallen in the event the female abruptly fell to the ground".

Despite not knowing what initially caused the couple's deaths, police believed there were no signs of foul play. However, the affidavit said the deaths were "suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation".

Gene and Betsy were transported to the Office of the Medical Investigator on 27 February where an autopsy was performed. Police said in a statement: "An autopsy was performed. Initial findings noted no external trauma to either individual. Carbon monoxide and toxicology tests were requested for both individuals.

"The manner and cause of death has not been determined. The official results of the autopsy and toxicology reports are pending. This remains an open investigation."

It was confirmed that Gene and his wife didn't die from a gas leak as they both tested negative for carbon monoxide. It was later disclosed that a minor gas leak was detected at the property, but it was deemed insufficient to be fatal.

Last week, a spokesperson for New Mexico medical investigator's office revealed it could be up to six weeks for any answers to emerge about their deaths. Mendoza said they were yet to rule out any possibility related to the tragic triple death, with double homicide, suicide, accidental death or natural causes all being considered.

Forensic pathologist Dr Michael Baden appeared on Fox News to share his verdict on what caused the couple's deaths, saying Gene's pacemaker could be a vital clue.

Baden said: "That event would have been a cardiac arrest caused by an abnormal pulse rate. The pacemaker keeps track of the pulse, and when it gets down too low, it discharges. And that's all in the record. So the autopsy showed he didn't have any injury.

"There was no carbon monoxide. And he had - the most common cause of death in this country - severe heart disease, coronary artery disease and high blood pressure perhaps, from what's been released. So that would cause him, having cardiac arrest in the mudroom, to collapse right there."

He also speculated that Betsy may have died while trying to help her husband, speculating that she may have gone to the bathroom to get his blood pressure medication where she fell.

In doing so, Betsy could have dropped the pills and taken the space heater down with her, based on the findings from the search warrant affidavit.

He continued: "She may have struck her head on the way down and had some internal injury to the brain that doesn't show up on the outside or bleeding in the inside of the brain.

"Or that she may also, at 65, had severe heart disease and excitement can cause a trigger to the cardiac rhythm, causing death under those circumstances. I think the first, that striking her head would be more common."

The police later announced that they were looking into whether suicide was involved in their deaths.

"Did Mr Hackman die suddenly from a heart attack and his wife was so distraught she took an overdose?," an investigator said. "Or could his wife have suffered an acute medical event which caused her death, and then Mr Hackman was in such a state that he had a heart attack and died? We are looking at all possibilities."

A pathologist later spoke out and delivered a bombshell theory over "companion suicide". Dr Gill told People because their bodies were discovered in two separate locations.

Autopsy results revealed that Gene died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease, a medical examiner announced on Friday (March 7).

Meanwhile Betsy died from , a rare infectious disease that starts showing flu-like symptoms before progressing rapidly to more severe disease. The doctor added there were no signs of trauma and the death was the result of natural causes.

Betsy died several days before Gene, it was shared during the press conference. The French Connection star is believed to have died on February 18, while his wife is thought to have died a week prior on February 11.

The investigator could not confirm or deny whether Gene, who was also showing symptoms of advanced Alzheimers, had died of a heart attack.