Hackman, 95, had lived a long and fruitful life, but the untimely passing of his younger wife, Betsy, who was only 63, has raised many questions.
It’s a deeply sad moment, and now, Gene’s daughter has opened up about what she believes might have caused the tragic deaths.
Did a welfare check
In an interview with TMZ, Elizabeth Jean Hackman shared that the family isn’t entirely sure what led to the deaths, but they suspect carbon monoxide poisoning could be to blame. “The house is fairly modern, built in 2000,” Elizabeth explained, “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 responded quickly after a neighbor raised concerns, performing a welfare check on the property. Deputies found the bodies and were joined by gas company and fire department personnel, who helped ensure there were no lingering toxic fumes that could endanger anyone else.
Gene Hackman and daughter Elizabeth Hackman attend the screening of “Superman” on December, 10, 1978 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)
Despite the heartbreaking loss, Elizabeth painted a picture of her father’s peaceful retirement. Gene and Betsy had settled in New Mexico after his retirement in 2004, where Gene pursued a quiet life of painting. Elizabeth revealed that her father’s favorite movie was The French Connection, a role that helped cement his place as one of Hollywood’s finest actors.
All told, the actor featured in over 70 films over the course of his career. In 2009, Hackman shared that the reason behind his taking a step away from the bright lights of Hollywood was a stress test which alarmed his doctors.
“The straw that broke the camel’s back was actually a stress test that I took in New York,” he told Empire. “The doctor advised me that my heart wasn’t in the kind of shape that I should be putting it under any stress.”
While Elizabeth didn’t comment directly on his health, she did recall a rare public appearance just last March, where Gene was seen walking with a cane, with Betsy supporting him by his side.
