Residents mourning Mr. Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, are consumed by the unusual circumstances surrounding their deaths and why they were not discovered sooner.

After an Oscars tribute from co-star Morgan Freeman, Gene Hackman's death remained a mystery in the second week of the investigation.

According to a search warrant issued by the Santa Fe Sheriff's Department, Arakawa's body was found with signs of "mummification" and "bloating," indicating to officials that she had been dead for some time before she and Hackman were discovered.