Gene Hackman Said His Only Fear Was Dying, in Resurfaced Interview

Gene Hackman once spoke about his fear of dying in a haunting interview that’s now resurfaced ... just a day after he, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were found dead at their New Mexico home.

In a 2004 chat with Larry King, Gene admitted he didn’t fear much -- but dying definitely freaked him out ... adding it’s the kind of thing that hits you when you get up there in age.

Gene, who was 74 at the time, said his fear of dying wasn’t just about him -- he wanted to make sure his wife and family were taken care of, too.

He also mentioned he tried to take care of himself, especially after talking to Larry about his health struggles -- like undergoing angioplasty and dealing with heart issues, including severe angina, 12 years prior.

We don’t know much about his recent health issues, but regarding his and his wife’s deaths, his daughter told us earlier today that the family believes carbon monoxide poisoning is to blame.

The Santa Fe house is pretty modern, built in 2000. We don’t know if there were any gas leak issues or if there had been any service calls to the address.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza tells us his deps haven’t ruled anything out and are still investigating.