Friend who found Gene Hackman, Betsy Arakawa releases statement

Jesse Kesler, the friend who found the bodies of actor Gene Hackman and wife Betsy Arakawa in their Santa Fe home earlier this week, has released a statement about his friends following their deaths. 

Kesler is the owner of MudCity Builders in Santa Fe and served as a personal contractor for Hackman and Arakawa for more than 16 years. Kesler is the person who called 911 to report their deaths. 

What did he say about Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa?

Kesler told Fox News Digital that he will never comment on or describe what he found when he entered their home on Feb. 26. He did, however, release the following statement to Fox News Digital: 

"Gene and Betsy, Thank you for the 16 plus years of opportunity, friendship and trust. Gene Hackman, thank you for lending a hand on projects over the years. I could not believe at the time I was actually working side by side with a legend. Thank you for treating my sons and employees so well and as equals. When on the job you were just another one of the guys. Thank you for all the stories which I will always remember and will cherish forever," he began.

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"Betsy Hackman, thank you for the years of friendship, generosity, opportunity and trust. Thank you for your love for dogs, including my own. Thank you for all the advice and consoling. Thank you for being such a beautiful person.  

"You both will always be near and dear to my heart and greatly missed. Love you both!" Kesler concluded.

Kesler said Hackman and Arakawa treated people "like gold," and that he, his son and all of his employees have only pleasant memories of the couple. 

What happened to Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa? 

What we know:

Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were found dead in separate rooms in their Santa Fe estate on Feb. 26. One of their three dogs was also found dead. 

At a Friday news conference, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said the initial examination by the medical examiner showed that Hackman and Arakawa both tested negative for carbon monoxide. The colorless and odorless gas produced from kitchen appliances and other fuel-burning items can be fatal in poorly ventilated homes. No gas leaks were discovered in or around the home.

FILE - Gene Hackman & Betsy Arakawa during The 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Arrivals at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, United States. (Photo by Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage)

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Mendoza said Hackman's pacemaker last showed activity on Feb. 17, meaning the former actor may have died nine days before maintenance and security workers showed up at his home.

The couple's bodies were decomposing, with mummification in Arakawa’s hands and feet, according to a search warrant affidavit. Hackman’s body showed similar signs. Hackman’s body was found in the home’s entryway and Arakawa’s was found in a bathroom.

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The initial autopsy findings also "noted no external trauma to either individual," Mendoza said. Detectives wrote in a search warrant affidavit that investigators thought the deaths were "suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation."

Authorities who searched the home retrieved medication that treats high blood pressure and chest pain, thyroid medication, Tylenol, and records from medical diagnostics testing, court records filed Friday showed.

What we don't know:

It's still unclear how Hackman and Arakawa died at their Santa Fe home, though authorities said they don't suspect foul play.

Whether the pills or other drugs were a factor won’t be known until toxicology tests are completed in the coming weeks. Mendoza declined to say who the medication bottles were prescribed to, citing privacy concerns.