Hollywood legend Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, had been dead “for some time” before their bodies were found in separate rooms of their home earlier this week, according to a warrant.

Yesterday the tragic news broke that the esteemed actor, 95, and classical pianist Arakawa, 63, had been found dead at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

There was an outpouring of shock and grief online, while fans worldwide clamored for answers as to the manner and cause of the pair’s passing. Hackman’s daughter Elizabeth expressed her belief yesterday that the couple died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.

In an interview with TMZ, Elizabeth shared: “The house is fairly modern, built in 2000, but we don’t know if there were any issues with gas leaks or if there were any recent service calls to the property.”

With investigators setting to work to build a clearer picture of what came to pass in the home, new information has been offered revealing that Hackman and Arakawa were found in separate rooms.

According to the Associated Press, Hackman’s body was found in a mudroom while his wife was in a bathroom next to a space heater.

At the time of writing it has not been disclosed how long the couple had been deceased, though MailOnline claim that the bodies were partially-mummified.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, Hackman’s daughter Elizabeth painted a picture of her father’s peaceful retirement in her interview yesterday. Gene and Betsy had settled in New Mexico after his retirement in 2004, where Gene pursued a quiet life of painting. Elizabeth revealed that her father’s favorite movie was The French Connection, a role that helped cement his place as one of Hollywood’s finest