Gene Hackman's family have made an unusual legal request to block the release of autopsy results, photos and investigation details following the deaths of the actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa last month.
The Hollywood legend and his wife were found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The family has filed a temporary restraining order with the Santa Fe court to prevent the Sheriff's Office and the Office of the Medical Investigator from releasing any images or videos of the couple's bodies.
They are also seeking to block the release of the autopsy and death investigation results, a move sources have described as "very atypical".
At the time of their discovery, both Arakawa and Hackman were in a state of decay with their bodies being partially mummified.
The couple had reportedly lain dead for some time before maintenance workers discovered their lifeless bodies at the home.
Their beloved dog was also found dead inside a closet at the property. Sources close to the investigation told The Sun that they have never come across such demands while working in death investigations.
"That is not something I have ever seen before," the source said.
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They explained that while it's common for families of celebrities to block the release of autopsy photos, blocking the entire autopsy report is "highly unusual."
"New Mexico doesn't have an exemption for autopsy photos, and normally it's not a concern, but when it comes to celebrity deaths, a lot of people will request them," the source added.
Previously, Michael Jackson's family prevented the release of Tito Jackson's autopsy photos, and Halyna Hutchins' family blocked the release of her autopsy photos after she was fatally shot by Alec Baldwin.
However, the complete block of autopsy results requested by the Hackman family is described as unprecedented. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for later this month.
During a press conference, the Office of the Medical Investigator in New Mexico confirmed that following Hackman's death, he was diagnosed with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
This rare and deadly disease is transmitted through rodent exposure.
The family's move to block information is particularly unusual given that hantavirus has previously been a public health crisis. Typically, such diagnoses would be shared to alert the public about potential risks.
The complete suppression of autopsy information in a case involving a disease with public health implications has raised questions among officials.
The restraining order filed by the family covers not only images but all investigative findings related to the deaths.
The timeline surrounding the deaths has caused confusion among investigators. On February 12, Arakawa is believed to have made several calls to a local medical centre.
This sparked bewilderment as the calls were made 24 hours after she was believed to be dead.
Local authorities told Fox News: "Mrs. Hackman's phone was utilised on the morning of February 12 to call a medical centre in Santa Fe. A total of three calls were made that morning."
Arakawa reportedly died on February 11, while Hackman died on February 18, one week later.
Hackman's official cause of death was ruled as hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Having suffered from Alzheimer's, it is speculated that Hackman may not have been aware of his wife's death.
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The Hollywood legend and his wife were found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The family has filed a temporary restraining order with the Santa Fe court to prevent the Sheriff's Office and the Office of the Medical Investigator from releasing any images or videos of the couple's bodies.
They are also seeking to block the release of the autopsy and death investigation results, a move sources have described as "very atypical".
At the time of their discovery, both Arakawa and Hackman were in a state of decay with their bodies being partially mummified.
The couple had reportedly lain dead for some time before maintenance workers discovered their lifeless bodies at the home.
Their beloved dog was also found dead inside a closet at the property. Sources close to the investigation told The Sun that they have never come across such demands while working in death investigations.
"That is not something I have ever seen before," the source said.
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They explained that while it's common for families of celebrities to block the release of autopsy photos, blocking the entire autopsy report is "highly unusual."
"New Mexico doesn't have an exemption for autopsy photos, and normally it's not a concern, but when it comes to celebrity deaths, a lot of people will request them," the source added.
Previously, Michael Jackson's family prevented the release of Tito Jackson's autopsy photos, and Halyna Hutchins' family blocked the release of her autopsy photos after she was fatally shot by Alec Baldwin.
However, the complete block of autopsy results requested by the Hackman family is described as unprecedented. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for later this month.
During a press conference, the Office of the Medical Investigator in New Mexico confirmed that following Hackman's death, he was diagnosed with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
This rare and deadly disease is transmitted through rodent exposure.
The family's move to block information is particularly unusual given that hantavirus has previously been a public health crisis. Typically, such diagnoses would be shared to alert the public about potential risks.
The complete suppression of autopsy information in a case involving a disease with public health implications has raised questions among officials.
The restraining order filed by the family covers not only images but all investigative findings related to the deaths.
The timeline surrounding the deaths has caused confusion among investigators. On February 12, Arakawa is believed to have made several calls to a local medical centre.
This sparked bewilderment as the calls were made 24 hours after she was believed to be dead.
Local authorities told Fox News: "Mrs. Hackman's phone was utilised on the morning of February 12 to call a medical centre in Santa Fe. A total of three calls were made that morning."
Arakawa reportedly died on February 11, while Hackman died on February 18, one week later.
Hackman's official cause of death was ruled as hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Having suffered from Alzheimer's, it is speculated that Hackman may not have been aware of his wife's death.
Find Out More...