Reassuring local residents, he added, “I want to assure the community and neighbourhood that there’s no immediate danger to anyone.”

This heartbreaking news follows the couple’s last public appearance together a year ago—before that, they had not been seen in public for over 20 years.

Hollywood legend Gene Hackman, whose career spanned several decades and earned him two Academy Awards along with four Golden Globes, tied the knot with classical pianist Betsy Arakawa in 1991.

Back in the 1980s, the couple decided to leave behind the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, opting instead for a quieter life in New Mexico. Eventually, Hackman made the decision to step away from the entertainment industry for good.

“I haven’t held a press conference to announce retirement, but yes, I’m not going to act any longer,” he told Reuters in 2008. “I really don’t want to do it any longer.”

Since then, the couple has maintained a low profile, with Arakawa being especially private—she has no known social media presence and has never given interviews about herself or her relationship. Hackman once mentioned that this preference for privacy played a role in their choice to settle in Santa Fe.

“Where we live, in Santa Fe, you can lead your own life and not be bothered by the latest gossip,” he shared with the Irish Independent back in 2000.

Although Hackman and Arakawa never had children together, she became a stepmother to the three kids he had with his first wife, Faye Maltese.

“It’s tough being the son or daughter of a celebrity,” Hackman reflected. “I couldn’t always be home with them when they were growing up and then, living in California, they’ve had my success always hanging over their heads.”