The affidavit stated that Arawkawa was found on the ground in a bathroom with a space heater near her head. An orange prescription bottle was found near Hackman's wife, according to a search warrant affidavit. It appeared to be open, with pills scattered on a countertop. Authorities listed thyroid medication, blood pressure medication and Tylenol among the items they took from the house.
"His wife was found in the bathroom," Baden said. "They haven't released the information about her findings, except that she did not have carbon monoxide in her, and that what appears to be from the scene and from what's been said is that she found her husband in the mudroom."
Baden explained that in an agitated state, Arakawa could have rushed to the bathroom to get Hackman's blood pressure medication before falling to the floor while scattering the pills and taking the space heater down with her.
"She may have struck her head on the way down and had some internal injury to the brain that doesn't show up on the outside or bleeding in the inside of the brain," Baden said. "Or that she may also, at 65, had severe heart disease and excitement can cause a trigger to the cardiac rhythm causing death under those circumstances. I think the first, that striking her head would be more common."
According to the affidavit, the deceased dog, a German Shepherd, was found "10-15 feet" away from Arakawa in a closet of the bathroom. Two other living dogs were discovered on the property. Detectives observed that "one of the healthy dogs was initially observed near the deceased female (inside the bathroom) and the other healthy dog was observed outside the residence."
"What was perplexing to me initially with the release was the death of a dog also, which I thought was free in the house," Baden said. "And that's why I think that the carbon monoxide[theory] was a very good thought with them breathing in the same air. But it turns out from what they say, that the dog was constrained in his cage or kennel and would have died from just dehydration and lack of water during the nine-day period that he couldn't get out of the kennel."
Baden noted that his theory could explain why an emergency call wasn't immediately made after Hackman experienced the cardiac event on Feb. 17. A maintenance worker who discovered Hackman and Arakawa's bodies called 911 on Feb. 26. ...