Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead at their home, prompting an ongoing investigation.
Indications from forensic analysis suggest the couple may have been dead for a few days before they were found. A search warrant revealed disturbing details, “[Arakawa’s] body was in a state of decomposition with bloating in her face and mummification in her hands and feet.”
Forensic experts note that mummified remains can often point to social isolation, although it is not an uncommon finding. Mummification is a slow process, with research indicating it could take nearly 18 days for a body to become fully mummified.
Other evidence, which was taken from Gene’s pacemaker data, indicated his heart stopped beating several days prior to the discovery of their bodies. Initially, there were concerns the 95-year-old actor and his wife might have died due to carbon monoxide poisoning, but subsequent tests conducted on Friday night have dismissed this theory.
Mummification is defined as the interruption of the normal decomposition process after death, preserving bodily tissues for a prolonged period. This preservation can occur naturally under certain conditions, or be brought about artificially through embalming, or due to a body being frozen, or parched in hot and dry conditions.
Mummification causes a body to dry out and adopt a dark, leathery appearance. With temperatures plunging below 32F in Santa Fe where Gene and Betsy lived, mummification may seem improbable at first glance.
However, considering that indoor environments often remain warm and dry, particularly when heated and well-ventilated, the conditions could in fact be conducive for a body to mummify.
Dr Nicholas Marquez-Grant, a forensic anthropologist at Cranfield University, told The Guardian, “We tend to think about bodies being mummified in ancient Egypt, or those found in the Andes and high mountains, in frozen areas such as the iceman, or bog bodies. The mummification depends on the dehydration of the tissues, so in forensic cases you’d have this in a house with the heating on high.”
While many may associate the process predominantly with the extremities, mummification can actually be a gradual process affecting either the complete body or localized areas. Body parts that are more exposed, like fingers and outer ears, which feature a higher skin surface-to-tissue ratio, are especially susceptible to mummification, as suggested by current research studies.
Clothing can play a significant role in the mummification process, influencing which parts of the body are better preserved. Marquez-Grant explained the phenomenon, noting, “What we’ve found is that you may have someone who is wearing a T-shirt and that part of the torso has been skeletonised, while the legs and the feet have been mummified. In some cases we’ve had the reverse, where the bits that are covered tend to preserve better.”
The state of decomposition can vary greatly across different parts of the body. “You can get remains that are in different states of decomposition. The skull has a very thin skin layer so it becomes skeletonised more quickly. The hands decompose more quickly. The hips and buttocks have more fat so will take a bit longer,” Marquez-Grant added.
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