Authorities Misidentifed Dog in Gene Hackman Case

A dog found dead alongside actor Gene Hackman and his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, was initially misidentified by authorities. Joey Padilla from Santa Fe Tails clarified that the couple's kelpie mix, Zinna, died, not their German shepherd, Bear. Authorities found Hackman and Arakawa's bodies at their home on February 26. Sheriff Adan Mendoza suggested they may have died up to two weeks earlier.

Both bodies tested negative for carbon monoxide. Investigators found no gas leaks, except a non-lethal stove burner leak. Padilla described the special bond between Zinna and Betsy, saying: "The dog that died was always attached to Betsy at the hip and it was a beautiful relationship." An official admitted deputies misidentified the dog due to lack of canine expertise, stating: "Our deputies, they don't work with canines on a daily basis." No necropsy was performed on the dog, who was found in a kennel inside a bathroom closet. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)