Gene Hackman’s sprawling Santa Fe estate, where he, his wife and a pet dog were found dead nearly a year ago, has been listed for $6.25 million.
The 95-year-old French Connection star and his wife of 34 years, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, had lived at the 13,000-square-foot, gated property for decades before their bodies were discovered there by a maintenance worker in February 2025.
In police video footage of the couple’s home, taken during an initial walk-through, it appeared to be in complete disarray, strewn with loose items and food. Authorities also found dead rats, rat feces and nests throughout the estate, making their home a potential breeding ground for hantavirus, the rare rodent-borne disease that killed Arakawa, 65. It was ruled that Hackman had survived a week on his own, potentially unaware of his wife’s death, before dying from heart disease complicated by Alzheimer’s.
The 6-bed, 10-bath compound has since been cleared of the couple’s personal effects and professionally staged, the listing agents, Tara S. Earley and Ricky Allen of Sotheby’s International Realty, told The Wall Street Journal.
Typically, a home associated with such a notable actor would come with a celebrity premium; however, Earley noted that “we just priced it based on what we felt was the fair market value.”
“There will be some buyers that are just adverse to purchasing a property where a death has occurred,” she said.
“There are other buyers for whom that doesn’t matter. We are selling the property on its virtues and all of the positives.”
According to the listing, the 53-acre compound consists of multiple distinct structures, each made of glass, stone, and steel.
The custom three-bedroom main residence “showcases the signature style of Boniface, with flowing spaces that blur the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living, highlighting stunning, expansive views from the Jemez Mountains all the way to Colorado.” It boasts a large open concept kitchen, a grand living room and a large dining area, while the primary suite features a sitting area and an attached office, which offers separate closets and spa-like baths.
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Special features include a library, gym, game room, media room, wine cellar, a secluded putting green, lap pool and hot tub.
Separate from the main residence are a three-bedroom guest house and a studio space, added in 1997, Earley said.
Hackman and Arakawa originally purchased the property in the 1990s and significantly reconstructed it, building the primary residence in 1997.
To prevent people from viewing the property solely out of morbid curiosity, the agents have said that all interested buyers will need to show proof of funds before any showings.