Another update into the deaths of Hollywood veteran Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa has been delivered.

Police have issued another update on Gene Hackman’s cause of death – putting forward the theory that suicide could have played a role.

Speaking to press on Sunday (March 2), an investigator said: “There is no immediate sign of foul play, although the lack of carbon monoxide has upended the initial theories about how they died. We are now looking at whether it could be a death followed by a suicide. Did Mr Hackman die suddenly from a heart attack and his wife was so distraught she took an overdose?

“Or could his wife have suffered an acute medical event which caused her death, and then Mr Hackman was in such a state that he had a heart attack and died? We are looking at all possibilities.”

Blood tests have revealed no presence of carbon monoxide in their bodies, while Gene’s pacemaker last recorded data on February 17th. He suffered a near heart attack in 1991 and underwent surgery to unblock an artery. Gene, 95, and Betsy, 64, were discovered by a worker who arrived at their £3.5million ranch on February 26 to carry out maintenance work.

A huge update has been delivered on Gene Hackman’s death (Image: Getty)

Betsy was found collapsed in the bathroom surrounded by pills, which included treatments for thyroid conditions, high blood pressure, chest pain and a painkiller. She was found close to a space heater, which officers mused might have fallen on her.

Another officer close to the investigation said: “It may also be that Mrs Hackman had a medical crisis of her own. Mr Hackman was found in the mud room. She was 10ft or 20ft away from him in a bathroom. Did she try and get blood pressure medication or something like that?

“She could have had a medical incident which led to her death. The space heater was on the floor, suggesting she grabbed it and brought it down when she fell.”

Police have offered a new update on the deaths (Image: Getty)

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Santa Fe sheriff Adan Mendoza added: “We’re looking at (the pills) specifically, and other medications possibly in the residence.”

However, toxicology reports are expected to take weeks, while the full mystery could take up to “three months” to unravel. The couple had no CCTV on their property regardless of their celebrity status.

Betsy’s body was tragically found “decomposed with bloating on her face and mummification in her hands and feet”, while Gene’s showed “the same signs of decomposition”.