As cops scramble to piece together what caused the tragic deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, friends of the couple lament how they had become increasingly insular in their final years and even stopped receiving guests.

Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, shared a peaceful and private life, rich in adventure, art and genuine love, before their unexpected deaths, their friends fondly remember.

Family friends of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa claimed the actor’s health was failing in the months leading up to his death. Husband and wife Daniel and Barbara Lenihan and their son Aaron — family friends of Hackman,