Gene Hackman 's pacemaker was last operational on Feb. 17, the Santa Fe County Sheriff said Friday afternoon, suggesting the Oscar-winning actor had been dead for nine days before he and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were discovered in their New Mexico home.

New Mexico authorities continue to probe the deaths of Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, whose bodies were found in their Santa Fe home on Wednesday under “suspicious" circumstances.

Authorities said there were no obvious signs of foul play, but that the circumstances of their deaths warranted further investigation.