A New Mexico court granted a temporary restraining order on Monday, blocking the release of certain records related to the investigation into the recent deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa.
Julia Peters, a representative for the couple’s estate, filed a court motion last week to have the records sealed, citing that the family’s right to privacy during their time of grief—as protected under the 14th Amendment—should take precedence.
Peters said the potentially shocking nature of photographs and videos from the investigation would cause emotional stress to the family if those images were disseminated widely by the media.
A hearing is scheduled later this month to determine whether the records will remain sealed. For now, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office and the state Office of the Medical Investigator are barred from releasing photos and videos showing the couple’s bodies or their home’s interior, autopsy reports, and other investigation documents.
Hackman and Arakawa were found deceased in their Santa Fe residence on Feb. 26, two weeks after Arakawa’s last known contact with the outside world.
Hackman’s wife and caregiver died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome—a rare, rodent-borne illness—presumably on Feb.11. One of the couple’s dogs was also found dead in a crate in the bathroom near Arakawa’s body.
Hackman, 95, passed away from heart failure a week later on Feb. 18. Police believe that he may have been unaware that his wife had died, given his advanced stage of Alzheimer’s disease.
His body was found on the ground near the kitchen, with a walking cane and sunglasses next to him.
Peters’ motion noted that the couple deeply valued their privacy, and the proactive steps they took to protect it throughout their lives. Particularly after Hackman retired, the couple relocated to Santa Fe—a city known as a haven for celebrities, artists, and writers seeking solitude.
“The personal representative seeks to continue to preserve the privacy of the Hackmans following their tragic death and support the family’s constitutional right to remembrance and desire to grieve in peace,” the document states.
New Mexico’s open records law restricts public access to sensitive images, including those depicting deceased individuals. Experts also point out that certain medical details are shielded from public disclosure under the state’s Inspection of Public Records Act.
However, law enforcement death investigations and autopsy reports are generally considered public records under state law.
Privacy will likely also influence the handling of the couple’s estate. Probate court filings from earlier this month show Hackman updated his will in 2005, leaving his estate to Arakawa. Her will, signed the same year, directed her assets to him if she passed away first. With both now deceased, estate management falls to Peters, a Santa Fe-based attorney and trust manager.
A request is pending to appoint a trustee to oversee two trusts connected to the estate. Because the trust documents are private, the identities of the beneficiaries and the division of assets remain unknown.
New Mexico estate planning attorneys suggest that more details could surface if legal disputes arise over the assets—though even in that scenario, involved parties would likely request the court to seal any related documents to preserve the family’s privacy.
