Actor Gene Hackman and wife found dead in home

US actor Gene Hackman, 95, who won two Oscars in the course of his decadeslong career, was found dead in a mudroom on Wednesday afternoon together with his 63-year-old wife, Betsy Arakawa, who was found in a bathroom in their home in the US state of New Mexico, police said.

The Santa Fe County Sheriff's office confirmed the deaths and added that the couple's dog had also been found dead.

There was an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on a countertop near Arakawa. Denise Avila, a sheriff's office spokesperson, said there was no indication they had been shot or had any wounds.

The local utility company said tests did not find any problems with gas lines and the fire department said it found no evidence of a carbon monoxide leak or poisoning. A detective said, however, that people exposed to gas leaks or carbon monoxide may not show signs of poisoning.

One deputy said Hackman appeared to have fallen and that two other dogs were found alive — one in the house and one outside.

"Foul play is not suspected as a factor in those deaths at this time, however exact cause of death has not been determined," a statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office said. 

Couple discovered after call for welfare check

Authorities said they found the couple at 1:45 p.m. local time following a request to conduct a welfare check and that the couple had been dead for some time before they arrived.

Hackman received the best actor Oscar in 1972 for his role as Detective Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in "The French Connection," and another as best supporting actor for his part in 1992 Western "Unforgiven," directed by Clint Eastwood.

Born in California in 1930, he lied about his age to enlist in the US Marines at age 16. Following his discharge from the military, he pursued an acting career. He appeared in over 80 films before retiring in 2004.

'Inspiring and magnificent'

Director Francis Ford Coppola, who directed Hackman in 1974's "The Conversation," mourned his passing in a post on Instagram.

"The loss of a great artist, always cause for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity," Coppola wrote. "I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution." 

Edited by: Kieran Burke