Jesse Kesler, the owner of MudCity Builders, worked as a contractor for Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa Hackman, for more than 15 years before making the tragic discovery of their bodies in February.
The longtime builder had developed a close relationship with the couple over the years, describing them as not just clients but friends and noted: I was so fortunate to work for them.
"I was just... and when we lost them, I was devastated because, I mean, it was a dream to work for them, it really was," but his concerns began after a troubling email exchange with Betsy Hackman weeks before the discovery.
"The last email I had with her, I asked a question and I never got a reply to that question, which was very strange," Kesler explained, with the lack of response immediately triggering his worry.
"At that time, I knew something was wrong. I thought maybe I was in trouble, thought maybe I had done something wrong," he said, and as days passed without communication, his unease grew stronger.
"As time went on, it started to sink in more that something is definitely not right," Kesler recalled, and after not hearing back from Betsy over a two-week period, Kesler became increasingly alarmed about the couple's welfare.
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"I started reaching out to other people and asking them if they had talked to them, and it was all the same thing... two and a half weeks, three weeks.
"It was not like them at all to just go out of town, or if something would have happened to someone, I think I would have known about it. And there was nothing. That's when I knew I had to do something, and basically started the process," he said.
Kesler eventually decided to visit the Hackmans' Santa Fe property unplanned on 26 February after hesitating to draw attention to the intensely private couple.
Upon arrival, he encountered a pest control worker leaving the property and asked if anything seemed unusual, leaving him to note: "The first thing he told me was, 'Yes, the dogs are out.' And dogs were never to be out," with the discovery confirming his worst fears.
The maintenance worker was left shocked as he discovered their bodies
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Kesler and maintenance worker Roland Lowe Begay discovered the bodies inside the home, with Kesler making the distressing 911 call, as the aftermath proved extremely challenging for the contractor.
"I found my best clients, who were friends, and found them dead," he said, and on top of his grief, he was then subjected to intense scrutiny during the investigation.
"I knew I was kind of being looked at. It was extremely stressful to take my computer take my phone. They took all the emails off my computer," he explained.
Despite the difficult treatment, Kesler cooperated fully with authorities and later New Mexico officials confirmed that Gene Hackman died of hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with Alzheimer's disease as a significant contributing factor.
His pacemaker showed his last activity was around 18 February, suggesting he was alone in the home for about a week after Betsy's death.
Betsy died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a disease transmitted from rodents to humans, with authorities believing she died on or about 11 February, approximately a week before her husband.
Jesse revealed he wasn't able to attend their funeral after learning about it on the news
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Kesler expressed disappointment at not being able to attend the Hackmans' funeral, learning about it only through media reports and said: "It was hurtful just because, you know, I really cared for these people and I wanted to say my goodbyes and looked forward to some closure.
"There were a lot of us that were very close to them and loved them, and I think we should have had our chance to say our goodbyes and have some closure. I just want people to know how good of people they were.
"There was so much being said, tunnels under the house, stuff like that... people need to know the truth.
"I have so many stories, and I mean, right down to even my kids have stories of Gene and Betsy... they're all positive."
