Video from inside Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa's home captures dog's heartbreaking act

Harrowing footage taken inside and Betsy Arakawa's home captures their heartbroken dog watch over her lifeless body.

Officers are seen combing through the reclusive couple's cluttered home in the bodycam footage, released today by police in New Mexico, US. Gene and Betsy's German shepherd is seen staring anxiously at Betsy's body as she is discovered lifeless in the bathroom of the property in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

In the 11-minute video, one of the investigators is heard saying: "Poor guy, he's sad," in reference to the pooch. Officials blurred the musician's body, but the house is seen cluttered and squalid.

Inside a large walk-in closet was a pet crate where another dog was found dead on February 26. Piles of clothes, documents and other items were littered throughout various rooms inside the residence.

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with complications from Alzheimer's disease around one week after . Gene's body was found in the mud room area.

An investigator in a report: "I observed the the male's extremities to be red and purple in color, the male appeared to be stiff, and his mouth was open. I also observed a pair of black sunglasses to the to the left on the male that were on the ground. To the right of the male, I observed a black-in-colour walking cane. It appeared as if the male suddenly collapsed."

In the video, deputies are seen opening doors and windows to let air inside the home. One says: "It smells like gas." While , it was later ruled out by investigators.

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Medical examiners concluded Betsy, a classical pianist, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome around February 12, a rare condition brought about by . Gene, who married Betsy in 1991, died a few days later on February 18 from severe heart disease, which was exacerbated by Alzheimer's disease and kidney disease.

The records detailed some of appear to show she was looking for information on flu-like symptoms and breathing techniques. The documents and footage were released after a court ruled that most of them are public record but ordered the couple's bodies would have to be blocked or blurred from view.

Gene, born in San Bernardino, California, appeared in a broad range of movie roles dating back to 1961, when he debuted in Mad Dog Coll. His roles included playing the arch nemesis Lex Luthor in the Superman movies and a coach finding redemption in the sentimental favourite Hoosiers. 

He was a five-time Oscar nominee who won best actor in a leading role for The French Connection in 1972 and best actor in a supporting role for Unforgiven two decades later. He retired in the early 2000s.

His wife, from Honolulu, Hawaii, was a famous musician. She studied piano and, as early as an 11-year-old sixth grader, performed in youth concerts in front of thousands of students at the Honolulu International Centre Concert Hall, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reported in 1971.