RIP: Gene Hackman, wife and dog found dead

Oscar-winning US actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa have been found dead inside their home in New Mexico, media outlets reported on Thursday.

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Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said the couple were found dead on Wednesday afternoon, adding that there was no immediate indication of foul play, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican, Variety and Sky News.

No cause of death

Mendoza did not provide a cause of death.

The media reports said the couple died along with their dog.

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Hackman, who was 95, was once voted as likely to flop in showbiz but instead went on to win two Oscar awards.

He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the tough and vulgar New York cop Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle in the 1971 crime thriller “The French Connection” – for which he won an Oscar for best actor.

Arakawa was a 63-year-old classical pianist.

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