Gene Hackman, wife found dead in New Mexico

Gene Hackman, the intense character actor who won two Oscars in a more than 60-year career, has died alongside his wife, pianist Betsy Arakawa, and their dog at home, the sheriff's office in Santa Fe, New Mexico, said.

A statement from the sheriff said deputies had found the 95-year-old actor and Arakawa, 64, deceased.

"Foul play is not suspected as a factor in those deaths at this time, however the exact cause of death has not been determined. This is an active and ongoing investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office," it said.

Hackman, a former Marine known for his raspy voice, appeared in more than 80 films, as well as on television and the stage during a lengthy career that started in the early 1960s. He earned his first Oscar nomination for his breakout role as the brother of bank robber Clyde Barrow in 1967's "Bonnie and Clyde." He was also nominated for best supporting actor in 1971 for "I Never Sang for My Father."

After entering with a search warrant, sheriff's deputies found the body of the 95-year-old actor on the kitchen floor. His wife, 64-year-old pianist Betsy Arakawa, and the dog, were found in a bathroom, with scattered pills from an open prescription bottle on the bathroom counter.

Authorities said that both Hackman and Arakawa appeared to have suddenly fallen to the floor and neither showed signs of blunt force trauma.

A sheriff's department statement said foul play was not suspected. But authorities said the deaths were "suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation."

A 911 call released by Santa Fe County revealed that the worker could not access the home but that he could see a woman on the floor through the window. The home's front door was ajar, although there were no signs of forced entry.

There were also no obvious signs of a gas or carbon monoxide leak, but those possibilities were still under investigation while detectives were awaiting autopsy reports and toxicology test results.