<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An examination of the dog found dead along with actor Gene Hackman and his wife in their Santa Fe home shows dehydration and starvation were likely what led to the animal’s demise.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A report obtained by </span><em><span>The Associated Press</span></em><span> from the state Department of Agriculture's veterinary lab details partial mummification and noted that while the severe decomposition could have obscured changes in the organs, there was no evidence of infectious disease, trauma or poisoning that could have resulted in death.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The report noted that the dog's stomach was mostly empty except for small amounts of hair and bile.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/darwin-alawa-man-allegedly-armed-with-crossbow-arrested-during-dv-callout/af009a65-3ba3-460e-a553-947b7bfe976d" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Man allegedly armed with crossbow arrested during DV call-out</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The kelpie mix named Zinna was one of the couple’s three dogs.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It was found dead in a crate in a bathroom closet near Betsy Arakawa’s body, while two other dogs survived.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Authorities confirmed last week that Hackman died of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer’s disease about a week after a rare, rodent-borne disease — hantavirus pulmonary syndrome — took the life of his wife.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/gene-hackman-and-betsy-arakawas-dog-likely-died-of-dehydration-and-starvation-report-says/a7077e3b-c82b-4cef-990b-05269e449e4e" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hackman, in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, apparently </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/gene-hackman-died-of-heart-disease-his-wife-died-of-hantavirus-about-1-week-prior-authorities-say/3cd59217-c8b6-4b76-9859-25ba65e6f798" rel="" target="_blank" title="was unaware that his wife was dead"><span>was unaware that his wife was dead</span></a><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hackman was found in the home’s entryway, and Arakawa was found in a bathroom.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Like the dog, their bodies were decomposing with some mummification, a consequence of body type and climate in Santa Fe’s especially dry air at an elevation of nearly 2200 metres.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/worlds-biggest-iceberg-runs-aground-off-antarctica/4ecdb154-ebae-4f44-9595-d163ca6b8a84" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>World's biggest iceberg runs aground off Antarctica</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office is finishing up the investigation by tying up the timeline with any information gleaned from the cellphones collected at the home and last contacts that were made.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>“The case is considered active until we have that information to tie up the timeline,” said</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Denise Womack Avila, a spokesperson for the sheriff.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Zinnia went from being a returned shelter dog to an incredible companion that was always at Arakawa's side, said Joey Padilla, owner of the Santa Fe Tails pet care facility that was involved in the surviving dogs’ care.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Arakawa, born in </span><a href="https://9news.com.au/hawaii" rel="" target="" title="Hawaii"><span>Hawaii</span></a><span>, studied as a concert pianist, attended the University of Southern California and met Hackman in the mid-1980s while working at a California gym.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hackman, a </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/entertainment" rel="" target="" title="Hollywood"><span>Hollywood</span></a><span> icon, won two Oscars during a storied career in films including </span><em><span>The French Connection</span></em><span>, </span><em><span>Hoosiers</span></em><span> and </span><em><span>Superman</span></em><span> from the 1960s until his retirement in the early 2000s.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/spacex-launches-a-new-crew-to-the-space-station-to-replace-nasas-stuck-astronauts/2269333c-a1d0-4e22-98af-0f0b8a548d2e" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>SpaceX launches rescue mission for NASA's stuck astronauts</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The pair led a private life after moving to Santa Fe decades ago.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A representative for the couple's estate has cited that privacy in seeking to block the public release of autopsy and investigative reports related to their deaths, especially photographs and video.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It will be up to a state district judge to consider that request.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span></span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the 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