4 days Ago By People
Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy ’s dog was observed guarding her body in newly released police body camera footage of the day they were discovered. The footage shows Santa Fe, N.M.
, police officers entering the married couple’s Santa Fe Summit home. The bodies of the actor, who was 95, his classical pianist wife, 65, and Zinnia, one of their three German Shepherds, were discovered on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
The body camera video was published by TMZ on Tuesday, April 15. The other two dogs, Nikita and Bear , were alive and roaming around the property. As the blurred bodycam footage reveals, police entered the part of the house where Betsy and the crated Zinnia’s bodies lay near a bathroom.
Observing one of the surviving pets sitting calmly, an officer said the pooch was “guarding her” and “seems pretty friendly.” Related: Gene Hackman's Life in Photos The police also reacted to hearing another dog “running around” and barking in the distance. Gene's body was soon found in the mudroom.
Authorities confirmed on March 7 that Betsy died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is caused by hantavirus, while Hackman — likely alone in the home with his wife’s body for days — died from a combination of severe heart disease, high blood pressure and advanced Alzheimer's disease . Zinna likely died of dehydration and starvation, Santa Fe County animal control previously stated. Related: What Is Hantavirus? All About the Rare Disease Spread by Rats That Led to Betsy Hackman's Death PEOPLE previously reported that Bear, a German shepherd rescue, and Nikita were transported to a local pet daycare facility and cared for by a family friend before being rehomed .
"In response to numerous concerned inquiries about the Hackman's dogs, both Bear and Nikita have been placed in appropriate homes," a personal representative for the estates said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. "Both are safe, healthy, and adjusting to their new environments." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Gene, who married Betsy in 1991, retired from acting in 2004 and lived a private life with her in Santa Fe. They were last photographed together during a rare outing in March 2024. They are survived by the Oscar winner’s three children , son Christopher and daughters Elizabeth and Leslie, whom he shared with ex-wife Faye Maltese.
A small, private memorial service was recently held in Santa Fe with family in attendance, PEOPLE exclusively learned. Read the original article on People.
