Gene Hackman’s hero dog helped first responders find actor’s body inside New Mexico home | Hollywood

Gene Hackman‘s dog heroically led first responders to the actor’s body inside his New Mexico home. The Behind Enemy Lines star and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead at their nearly $4 million Santa Fe mansion in February. The couple’s third dog, Zinna, was also discovered dead inside a locked crate.

Gene Hackman’s hero dog helped lead first responders to actor’s body

Bear and Nikita – the couple’s two surviving dogs – wandered around their property for days before authorities arrived. According to a USA Today report, the loyal canines drew the first responders’ attention after they were unable to find Hackman and Arakawa for nearly half an hour into the search.

While it is unclear whether it was Bear or Nikita, one of the two dogs continuously barked at the emergency workers before running away towards the end of the house. “They realized (the dog) was trying to say, ‘Hey, come over here! Come over here!’” Santa Fe Fire Chief Bryan Moya told the outlet.

The dog then led them to a mudroom, where Hackman’s body was found on the ground with his cane and sunglasses nearby. Both the Heist actor and Arakawa’s bodies showed signs of decomposition. While the 95-year-old died from heart disease, with advanced Alzheimer’s being a contributing factor, the pianist died from hantavirus.

Santa Fe County Medical Examiner Heather Jarrell noted, “It is quite possible he [Hackman] was not aware that she [Arakawa] was deceased,” citing his Alzheimer’s disease, per New York Times.

“Mr. Hackman’s initial pacemaker data revealed cardiac activity on February 17, with subsequent pacemaker interrogation demonstrating an abnormal rhythm of atrial fibrillation on February 18,” Jarrell went on.

“Based on the circumstances, it is reasonable to conclude that Ms. Hackman passed away first, with February 11 being the last time that she was known to be alive,” the medical examiner added.