Betsy Arakawa’s 91-year-old mother, Yoshie Feaster, has dementia.
An American classical musician, Betsy Arakawa, and her husband, Gene Hackman, a two-time Oscar winner, and their dog were found d*ad at their Santa Fe home on February 26, 2025.
Highlights
- Betsy Arakawa and her husband, Gene Hackman, were found lifeless at their Santa Fe home on February 26, 2025. They tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Arakawa was born to her mother, Yoshie Feaster, and her father, who is believed to have been a businessman.
- As per the housekeeper, Keiko, Betsy hasn’t contacted her mother since October 2024, who has been suffering from dementia.
Arakawa was found in the bathroom near a portable heater, along with a prescription bottle and scattered pills on the bathroom countertop close to her body.
Authorities initially ruled out foul play, but investigators reversed the statement by saying the incident was suspicious and stated that an investigation was being conducted.
As the investigation continues, the possibility of a gas leak inside their home appears conclusively ruled out.
On March 4, 2025, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement based on the New Mexico Gas Company’s “extensive investigation for gas leaks and carbon monoxide at their home. The news release states,
“There were no significant findings. NMGC did issue five (5) red tags. One red tag was for a minuscule leak (0.33% gas in air – not a lethal amount) at one of the stove burners,” “The other four red tags were for code enforcement violations -not involving gas leaks or carbon monoxide – involving a water heater and gas log lighters installed in three fireplaces.”
News Release
The couple tested negative for carbon monoxide poisoning, dismissing a theory of a gas leak.
Betsy grew up in Honolulu, where she learned the piano. She studied piano at Kahala Elementary School and performed at the Honolulu International Center Concert Hall at 11.
According to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, she performed the final Movember of Joseph Haydn’s Keyboard Concerto in G major with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra.
She studied social sciences and communications at the University of Southern California and later received a master’s degree in liberal arts from St. John’s College in New Mexico.
Arakawa served as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Aztecs, a professional soccer team, and worked as a production assistant on the television game show Card Shanks.
Betsy Arakawa Maintained Close Ties With Her Parents In Honolulu
Betsy Arakawa, 65, was born on December 15, 1959, in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States, to her mother, Yoshie Feaster, and her father, whose identity has not been made public.
Her parents have supported her since childhood, allowing her to pursue music. She was of Japanese descent and held American nationality.
She inherited her Japanese roots from her mother and her American roots from her father.
Arakawa’s father has avoided the media spotlight, but he is believed to have been a businessman.
Her mother, Yoshie, 91, a former homemaker born in Hawaii in 1933, has dementia, so Betsy hired a housekeeper named Keiko to take care of her.
As per the source, Betsy frequently used to call her parents, who live in Honolulu. Recently, Yoshie’s housekeeper, Keiko, said that Betsy hadn’t called Yoshie since October 2024, which raised concern within the family. She said,
“Betsy hadn’t called her mother in months. She usually called every one or two months. Last time she called was October. We were thinking, what happened?”
Keiko
On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, Yoshie was informed by New Mexico police that her daughter and son-in-law had lost their lives. Due to her dementia, Yoshie had already forgotten the devastating news. Keiko added,
“She talked to a New Mexico policeman the other day. But she has dementia so she forgot already. I feel so sorry for her,” “She was very upset. But right now she’s kind of normal.”
Keiko
Keiko also said that Betsy had no other surviving close relatives besides her mother.
Currently, Yoshie is mourning the tragic loss of her daughter, Betsy.
Additional Information
- Betsy Arakawa co-founded Pandora’s, a linens and home furnishings store, with Barbara Lenihan.
- Gene Hackman and his ex-wife Faye Maltese had three children: Christopher Allen, Elizabeth Jean, and Leslie Anne Hackman.
- Hackman spent decades working in the movie industry from the 1960s to the early 2000s, helping him achieve an $80 million net worth.
