Chicago – Oscar winning actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arawaka were found dead in their New Mexico home on February 26th. Arawaka died of a rare lung infection, the 95-year-old Hackman succumbed to natural causes. Photographer Joe Arce captured this Exclusive Portrait of Hackman in 2000.

The mystery and circumstances surrounding the couple’s death stayed in the headlines for weeks. They both had been deceased for several days before being discovered, and at first is was speculated that carbon monoxide poisoning might have been the culprit. But as the investigation continued, it was determined that Ms. Arawaka had died first on or around February 11th of a rare lung infection, and Hackman … suffering from Alzheimer’s disease … died one week later.

Actor Gene Hackman in 2000

Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Gene Hackman was born in San Bernardino, California, but the family settled in Danville,...