Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Remains a Possibility in Deaths of Gene Hackman, Wife: Fire Chief

Santa Fe Fire Chief Brian Moya says he can’t definitively rule out carbon monoxide poisoning or a gas leak as the cause of death for actor Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa.

“At the time of the incident, we did not determine anything that was in the house with our meters that was concerning to our guys doing the searches,” Moya said in an interview with "The Today Show" on Friday.

However, because the couple's bodies had been in the home for days or “even up to a couple weeks,” he said, it was still unclear whether or not a leak may have been a contributing factor.

When asked whether there could have been a leak that dissipated in the time after the pair’s deaths but before their bodies were found, he said, “it possibly could. That was a home with natural gas in it, so it could have [dissipated]. There’s a lot of unanswered [questions] there.”

Hackman and Arakawa were found deceased in their Santa Fe home on the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 27. Their bodies were identified at 12:30 a.m. Alongside them was their German Shepherd, who was also found dead nearby.

Related: Sheriff Repeats 'No Signs of Foul Play' in Gene Hackman and Wife's Deaths — but Causes of Death Still Unknown

There were no apparent signs of trauma on either Hackman or Arakawa, and law enforcement reiterated on Thursday that they'd found no evidence of foul play.

Still, the circumstances surrounding the couple's deaths are considered "unusual," Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Thursday afternoon.

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Related: Caretaker Repeatedly Cried 'Damn' on Harrowing 911 Call After Finding Gene Hackman and Wife Dead

Per a search warrant reviewed by PEOPLE, Arakawa was discovered lying on her side in a bathroom, with a space heater and a bottle of pills nearby. The deceased German Shepherd was roughly 10 to 15 feet away, while two healthy dogs were also found at the home.

Hackman's body was located in a different room, wearing sweatpants and a blue T-shirt, with a cane and sunglasses nearby. Both individuals displayed signs of "mummification," indicating they may have been dead for a while.

Hackman's and Arakawa’s bodies were transported to the Office of the Medical Investigator in Santa Fe for autopsies, though no official cause of death has been determined thus far. Full carbon monoxide and toxicology tests have been ordered, but results could take weeks to come in.

Related: Prescription Pill Bottle Found Near Gene Hackman's Wife Is 'Very Important Evidence,' Sheriff Says

Hackman, a legendary actor, was known for his roles in The French Connection, Superman and The Royal Tenenbaums. He had three children from his first marriage to Faye Maltese: Christopher Allen Hackman, 63, Elizabeth Jean Hackman, 61, and Leslie Ann Hackman, 57. A five-time Oscar nominee and two-time winner, he retired from acting after 2004’s Welcome to Mooseport.

Arakawa, born in Hawaii in the early '60s, kept a low public profile. She was a classical pianist and entrepreneur, co-owning a Santa Fe-based home furnishings store for many years, perThe New York Times. She and Hackman married in 1991.

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