More than a week has passed since Gene Hackman, his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and dog, were discovered dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home. As speculation continues around the timeline of their deaths, retired NYPD inspector and Fox News contributor Paul Mauro believes one crucial detail could provide the answer.

“The public shouldn’t jump to too many conclusions,” said Mauro, “Investigators are going to get a lot of digital evidence. Reportedly, there are no cameras [in or around the house], but that doesn’t mean there are no cameras in the area. It’s a gated community. So, there are probably cameras at the gate and on the streets. The neighbors almost certainly have Ring cameras.”

“The digital evidence is going to show investigators, in a very pointed way, at what point, whatever occurred, occurred. You’re going to get a narrow window that you can work with. Now, once you have that, then you can really go all out at all the possible evidence points to get more data to work with. You can pull the Ring camera from the neighbors, pull the camera from the front gate, from the surrounding areas. You can see any cars going in and out.”

Although known for their reclusive lifestyle, Hackman and Arakawa were regularly spotted around Santa Fe. Any disruption in their usual routine could serve as a significant clue in the investigation, Mauro suggested in a Fox News article.

“Reportedly, Hackman and Arakawa would go regularly into Santa Fe to get coffee and run errands. They’re driving around. So, let’s say they drove every day. They had a routine. Every day they went to get coffee, and then … they stopped going. Again, it’s another indicator. Cars these days are rolling computers.”

Mauro explained that investigators could track the vehicle’s GPS to determine its recent locations. If, for example, records show that Arakawa visited a pharmacy the day before her death and picked up a new medication, it could suggest she had an adverse reaction. Investigators would also need to consider whether Hackman discovered her in distress, attempted to get help, and then suffered his own medical emergency. Mauro emphasized that digital evidence could play a crucial role in piecing together the timeline of events.

Investigators believe Hackman and Arakawa may have died up to two weeks before their bodies were discovered on February 26. Hackman’s pacemaker last recorded activity on February 17, nine days before maintenance and security workers arrived at the home and alerted authorities.

Arakawa was found in the bathroom with an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on the counter, while Hackman was discovered near the home’s entryway.

One of their three dogs was also found dead inside a crate in a bathroom closet near Arakawa, though authorities initially misidentified the breed. The couple’s two other dogs survived.

Authorities collected personal belongings from the home, including a monthly planner and two cell phones, which will undergo analysis. Medical investigators are working to determine the cause of death, though toxicology results may take weeks to complete.

When found, both bodies showed signs of decomposition and some mummification, a process accelerated by Santa Fe’s dry climate and its high elevation of nearly 7,200 feet.