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March 16, 2025

Report: Gene Hackman's dog likely died of dehydration, starvation

Another update on the death of Gene Hackman, his wife, and their dog, Zinnia, has recently emerged.

The Hackmans' dog, Zinna, who was discovered deceased in her cage, has been reported to have likely died of dehydration and starvation, Breitbart reports.

The dog’s stomach contents contained only a small amount of hair and bile.

Zinna was reportedly a wonderful companion despite being a returned shelter dog.

The dog was a Kelpie mix and one of the three dogs the couple owned.

Zinna’s crate was discovered inside a bathroom closet, very close to the body of the body of Betsy Arakawa.

Reports indicated that Zinna had had a procedure done at the vet in recent days from which they may have been recovering, which could have been why she was put into her crate to keep safe.

The other two dogs of the couple survived and were found alive -- possibly the only bright spot in this terrible tragedy.

For those who may not know, it was not that long ago that Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered mummified in their homes.

The released autopsy confirmed they both died “natural deaths.”

Arakawa succumbed to a rare disease from rats called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a very rare “rodent-borne” disease that mimics symptoms of the flu and is fatal if left untreated.

Hackman, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, may not have even known he had a wife.

He reportedly lived in the house with Arakawa’s body a week before passing away.

Hackman’s family was devastated to learn the news of the tragic passing and shared a statement with E! News.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy. He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss,” the statement read.

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