Federal agents arrested a former New Mexico Democrat judge and his wife on Thursday after they were accused of harboring a suspected member of Tren de Aragua at their home. 
Former Dona Ana County Magistrate Judge Jose “Joel” Cano and his wife, Nancy, were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement at their home in Las Cruces, KFOX14 <a href="https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/home-of-ex-judge-raided-after-claims-of-hosting-tren-de-aragua-gang-member-in-las-cruces-cristhian-ortega-lopez-dona-ana-county-venezuela-joel-cano-nancy-tda-nm-hsi-homeland-security" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Both the 67-year-old former judge and his wife are <a href="https://apps.donaanacounty.org/www/sites/all/modules/dac/dac_inmates/dac_create_pdf.php?&amp;GCode=4&amp;FelonID=2500003171&amp;FelonPIC=387831&amp;CurrentFlag=0">charged</a> with tampering with evidence. 
The couple is currently in custody at the Dona Ana County Jail, awaiting their appearance in federal court. They were arrested as part of a probe by Homeland Security Investigations into their association with 23-year-old Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, who authorities say is linked to Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan gang that has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration. Ortega-Lopez was arrested at the Canos&#8217; home in February. 
“Under President Trump, we have arrested over 150,000 aliens—including more than 600 members of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem <a href="https://x.com/Sec_Noem/status/1915559976229052564">said</a>, commenting on the arrest. “If you are here illegally and break the law, we will hunt you down, arrest you and lock you up. That’s a promise.”
Cano resigned from his judgeship earlier this week and was banned by the New Mexico Supreme Court from holding any judicial office again. The court <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/new-mexico-supreme-court-bans-judge-after-alleged-tda-member-arrested-home">ordered</a> that Cano “shall never again hold, become a candidate for, run for, or stand for election to any New Mexico judicial office in the future.”
Ortega-Lopez, originally from Venezuela, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dem-judge-resigns-after-harboring-alleged-tren-de-aragua-gang-member" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was accused</a> of illegal entry to the United States near Eagle Pass, Texas. He spent three days in Border Patrol custody before he was released because of overcrowded facilities at the Border Patrol’s South Laredo, Texas, processing center, according to court records, the Albuquerque Journal <a href="https://www.abqjournal.com/news/article_47926b51-d481-4aa9-8d76-5de8cc13809b.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawJwuu9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHn4jO0OhVrwODcJdaJgEwwkzhtKl5MdUs320h3z25_0FkfgnT9xnpoaAox6a_aem_F7zjdLNkrsY9LSG6RfZRmA">reported</a>. He met Nancy in El Paso, where he was working as a construction worker and handyman, and she offered for him to stay in a small house behind their home.
Ortega-Lopez has been charged with being an unlawful alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and is seen in court documents holding guns.
Cano has denied any knowledge of the suspected ties between Ortega-Lopez and Tren De Aragua. Investigators have said that they have text messages and voice mail messages that confirm the links to the notorious gang.
“Let me be as crystal clear as possible,” Cano <a href="https://www.koat.com/article/las-cruces-former-judge-allegations-gang-new-mexico/64583129" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the New Mexico Supreme Court. “The very first time I ever heard that the boys could possibly have any association with Tren de Aragua was when I was informed of that by [the] agents on the day of the raid.”

MixCollage-25-Apr-2025-09-44-AM-6237

Former Judge And Wife Arrested, Accused Of Housing Suspected Venezuelan Gang Member

Courts

Department of Homeland Security

Illegal Immigation

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Kristi Noem

New Mexico

Tren De Aragua

Venezuela

A New Mexico Democrat judge harbored an alleged Tren de Aragua gang member in his home, where the illegal immigrant was arrested on February 28.
Magistrate Judge Jose “Joel” Cano announced his resignation on March 3, the same day that Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, 23, who has alleged ties to the Tren de Aragua gang in Venezuela, appeared before a judge on charges of being an unlawful alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Ortega-Lopez was accused of illegal entry to the United States near Eagle Pass, Texas. He spent three days in Border Patrol custody before he was released because of overcrowded facilities at the Border Patrol’s South Laredo, Texas, processing center, according to court records, the Albuquerque Journal <a href="https://www.abqjournal.com/news/article_47926b51-d481-4aa9-8d76-5de8cc13809b.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawJwuu9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHn4jO0OhVrwODcJdaJgEwwkzhtKl5MdUs320h3z25_0FkfgnT9xnpoaAox6a_aem_F7zjdLNkrsY9LSG6RfZRmA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. He met Cano’s wife, Nancy, in El Paso, where he was working as a construction worker and handyman, and she offered for him to stay in a small house behind hers.
According to prosecutors, April Cano, the Canos’<a href="https://www.pressreader.com/usa/albuquerque-journal/20250417/281522231932677?srsltid=AfmBOooT2iGj93oUOckJ2M9c6weVtAg4OcioOSXXxxDm_TU6-C4o24EM" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> daughter</a> who owned a home near her parents, “possessed a large number of firearms” and “allowed him to hold and sometimes shoot various firearms.”
“Cano, a former police officer, allowed Ortega-Lopez to file a request for immigration relief using the judge’s residential address. Court exhibits also posted social media posts of the foreign national posing with the judge,” Breitbart <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/border/2025/04/20/new-mexico-democrat-judge-resigns-after-ice-arrests-alleged-tren-de-aragua-gang-member-in-his-home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, adding, “Social media posts obtained by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico showed Ortega-Lopez and other illegal aliens at a shooting range. They appeared to be in possession of multiple firearms and a large quantity of handgun and rifle ammunition. &#8230; The photos and videos showed Ortega-Lopez displaying Tren de Aragua gang tattoos.”
“Other images from Ortega-Lopez’s cell phone obtained by Breitbart showed graphic images of multiple decapitated and mutilated bodies,” Breitbart noted.
Last month, President Donald Trump issued a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/invocation-of-the-alien-enemies-act-regarding-the-invasion-of-the-united-states-by-tren-de-aragua/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proclamation</a> regarding Tren de Aragua in which he stated:
<blockquote>
Tren de Aragua (TdA) is a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization with thousands of members, many of whom have unlawfully infiltrated the United States and are conducting irregular warfare and undertaking hostile actions against the United States. TdA operates in conjunction with Cártel de los Soles, the Nicolas Maduro regime-sponsored, narco-terrorism enterprise based in Venezuela, and commits brutal crimes, including murders, kidnappings, extortions, and human, drug, and weapons trafficking. TdA has engaged in and continues to engage in mass illegal migration to the United States to further its objectives of harming United States citizens, undermining public safety, and supporting the Maduro regime’s goal of destabilizing democratic nations in the Americas, including the United States.
</blockquote>

Judge’s gavel

Dem Judge Resigns After Harboring Alleged Tren De Aragua Gang Member

Crime

Judge

U.S.

A 40-year-old New Mexico man has been charged over arson attacks that targeted the headquarters of the Republican Party and a Tesla showroom in Albuquerque, the Justice Department announced.
The DOJ <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/albuquerque-man-charged-connection-arson-attacks-tesla-dealership-and-republican-party-new">said</a> Monday that 40-year-old Jamison Wagner had been arrested by the FBI over the attacks, which burned out two Teslas and left significant damage to the GOP headquarters in Albuquerque. Attorney General Pam Bondi said that the DOJ would be seeking 40 years in prison for Wagner if he is convicted.
Wagner was charged with two counts of malicious damage or destruction of property by fire or explosive.
“Let this be the final lesson to those taking part in this ongoing wave of political violence,” Bondi said. “We will arrest you, we will prosecute you, and we will not negotiate. Crimes have consequences.”
The DOJ said that it had identified Wagner through evidence left at the scene of the attacks and surveillance footage.
The first attack took place on February 9 when two Tesla vehicles outside the Tesla Albuquerque Showroom were targeted with a homemade incendiary device. Inside one of the vehicles was found a glass container with napalm material. Other vehicles and the outside of the showroom were spray-painted with swastikas and the words “Die Elon,” “Tesla Nazi Inc,” and “Die Tesla Nazi.”
<div id="attachment_907537" style="width: 1400px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-907537" class="size-full wp-image-907537" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM.png" alt="" width="1390" height="751" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM.png 1390w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM-300x162.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM-1024x553.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.38-PM-768x415.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1390px) 100vw, 1390px" />Credit: DOJ.</div>
The next attack took place on March 30, when the headquarters for the New Mexico GOP were firebombed, leaving significant damage. The phrase “ICE = KKK” was spray-painted on the building as well.
<div id="attachment_907539" style="width: 1409px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-907539" class="size-full wp-image-907539" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM.png" alt="" width="1399" height="965" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM.png 1399w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM-300x207.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM-835x576.png 835w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screen-Shot-2025-04-14-at-2.52.16-PM-768x530.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1399px) 100vw, 1399px" />GOP headquarters: DOJ.</div>
Investigators said they linked Wagner to the attacks by matching his Hyundai Accent to one leaving the scene of the GOP headquarters after the bombing and matching his physical appearance to surveillance footage of the suspect.
The FBI also said it found materials for making incendiary devices at his home, spray paint matching the vandalism at both crime scenes, an “ICE=KKK” stencil matching what was spray-painted at the GOP headquarters, and at least eight suspected incendiary devices.
“This arrest is part of the FBI’s aggressive efforts to investigate and hold accountable those who have targeted Tesla facilities in various states across the country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Under Attorney General Bondi’s leadership, we will continue to locate and arrest those responsible for these acts of domestic terrorism, and the FBI will work with partners at the Department of Justice to ensure such lawbreakers face justice.”

MixCollage-14-Apr-2025-02-54-PM-4419

‘Domestic Terrorism’: FBI Arrests Man For Firebombing New Mexico Tesla Showroom, GOP Headquarters

Albuquerque

Arson

Department of Justice

domestic terrorism

Elon Musk

kash patel

Pam Bondi

Republican Party

Tesla

The movie trailer for Alec Baldwin’s Western &#8220;Rust&#8221; dropped nearly four years after the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Hutchins was killed on a New Mexico film set when a gun <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alec-baldwin">Baldwin</a> was holding discharged a bullet. Writer-director Joel Souza was also injured during the incident.
“In 1880s Kansas, recently orphaned Lucas McCalister (Patrick Scott McDermott) accidentally kills a rancher and is sentenced to hang,” a description with the one-minute plus video on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc6q3scsTwg">YouTube</a> read.
“In a twist of fate, his estranged grandfather, the notorious outlaw Harland Rust (Academy Award nominee Alec Baldwin), breaks him out of jail and takes him on the run toward Mexico,” it added. “As they flee across the unforgiving wilderness, the fugitive pair must outrun the determined U.S. Marshal Wood Helm (Josh Hopkins) and a ruthless bounty hunter named &#8216;Preacher&#8217; (Travis Fimmel).”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Rust Trailer" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oc6q3scsTwg?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
In November 2024, Baldwin’s indie western had its world premiere at Poland’s Camerimage <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/international/">International</a> Film Festival, with Souza and cinematographer Bianca Cline, who stepped in to finish the film after a wrongful death lawsuit was settled in October 2022, in attendance, <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/rust-trailer-alec-baldwin-first-footage-shooting-1236348441/">Variety</a> noted.
Ahead of the premiere, Souza talked to <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/rust-filmmaker-joel-souza-finally-speaks-about-the-fatal-shooting">Vanity Fair</a> about the fatal shooting, returning to the film set, and finishing the movie Hutchins was shooting, making it clear the fatal scene she had shot had vanished “in its entirety.”
“Gone. Not just that, but also a few things leading up to it,” Souza said. “Everything needed to be entirely reconceived there. There were a few things that came before that now wouldn’t make story sense. So we just sort of eliminated it and came up with something entirely different.”
“I’m not going back to that,” he added. “I’m glad you asked. I don’t want anyone who ever does see this to be waiting for that. No one ever pushed to keep anything like that.”
On October 21, 2021, Baldwin began filming a scene when the gun he was holding fired a live round that killed Hutchins and injured Souza. The 66-year-old actor repeatedly maintained that there was “no trigger pull.”
He was charged with involuntary manslaughter and faced up to 18 months in prison. However, the charges were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-dismisses-criminal-case-against-alec-baldwin-after-prosecutors-hid-evidence">dismissed</a> on the third day of his trial in July 2024, with the judge ruling that the prosecution had hidden evidence from the defense.
The armorer in charge of weapons on set, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for her role in Hutchins’ death.
“Rust” will be released in theaters nationwide and on digital May 2, <a href="https://people.com/alec-baldwin-rust-first-trailer-exclusive-11703275?taid=67e40a4a142e3e00010d239c&amp;utm_campaign=peoplemagazine&amp;utm_content=new&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com">People</a> noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alec-baldwin-wins-another-court-victory-after-judge-denies-states-motion-in-rust-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alec Baldwin Wins Another Court Victory After Judge Denies State’s Motion In ‘Rust’ Case</a>

Alec Baldwin In court

Alec Baldwin’s ‘Rust’ Trailer Drops Nearly Four Years After Fatal On-Set Shooting

Alec Baldwin

Celebrities

Entertainment

Hollywood

movie

Rust

Shooting

Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa’s deaths warrant a “more thorough investigation” following the results of an autopsy report, Santa Fe, New Mexico, authorities said on Friday, with a pacemaker revealing the legendary star&#8217;s death might have happened more than a week ago.
During a <a href="https://x.com/ABC/status/1895600448410657081">press conference</a>, Santa Fe County Sheriff&#8217;s Office Adan Mendoza said the results from the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator determined that the couple &#8220;had tested negative for carbon monoxide,&#8221; but it did not provide a cause of death for either one.
“An autopsy was performed. Initial findings noted no external trauma to either individual,” Mendoza said.
&#8220;The manner and cause of death have not been determined &#8230; I was advised that a more thorough investigation will be completed,” he added, noting that an investigation of Hackman’s pacemaker showed his last recorded &#8220;event&#8221; as February 17, more than a week before the bodies were discovered.
The news follows an earlier report that their deaths were “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation&#8221; due to all of the &#8220;circumstances surrounding&#8221; the scene, according to the search warrant affidavit.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, tested negative for carbon monoxide, officials said.
&#8220;The manner and cause of death have not been determined &#8230; I was advised that a more thorough investigation will be completed.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/ALD1bVL0rJ">https://t.co/ALD1bVL0rJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/Qa0oWPxcUA">pic.twitter.com/Qa0oWPxcUA</a>
— ABC News (@ABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1895600448410657081?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
The 95-year-old Hollywood star was discovered at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, along with his wife, Arakawa, 63, on Wednesday.
The couple’s dog was also found dead. After responding to a welfare check request, law enforcement entered the home around 1:45 p.m. Local officials initially said there are no signs of foul play, per <a href="https://apnews.com/article/gene-hackman-found-dead-f6c106e92987aeaaab7b35c1b956a5c8">Associated Press</a>, but the cause of death was not immediately revealed, and authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
According to a report by <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/gene-hackman-death-suspicious-gas-leak-search-warrant-1236322610/">Variety</a>, Arakawa was lying on the bathroom floor. An opened prescription pill bottle was found on the countertop, with pills scattered nearby. A space heater was found near the woman’s head, and the report noted that “the heater could have fallen in the event the female abruptly fell to the ground.”
Hackman was discovered in a mudroom with sunglasses nearby.
Arakawa’s body was discovered in the house with the door open, showing no signs of forced entry. A deceased dog was found in the bathroom closet, and two other dogs were found alive on the property – one near Arakawa’s body and the other roaming freely outside.
Amanda Harding contributed to this piece.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/deaths-of-gene-hackman-wife-deemed-suspicious-enough-for-thorough-probe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deaths Of Gene Hackman, Wife Deemed ‘Suspicious Enough’ For ‘Thorough’ Probe</a>

Gene Hackman

Hackman’s Death Needs ‘More Thorough Investigation’; His Pacemaker’s Last ‘Event’ Revealed

Death

The deaths of actor Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 63, have been deemed “suspicious,” according to a search warrant affidavit.
The couple was discovered dead on Wednesday afternoon at their Santa Fe, New Mexico, residence by two maintenance workers. The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said that foul play was “not currently suspected.” Detective Roy Arndt told a judge in a search warrant application that the circumstances of the deaths are “suspicious enough in nature to require a thorough search and investigation.” 
The local fire department and gas company checked for a gas leak and found none.
According to a report by <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/news/gene-hackman-death-suspicious-gas-leak-search-warrant-1236322610/">Variety</a>, Arakawa was lying on the bathroom floor. An opened prescription pill bottle was found on the countertop, with pills scattered nearby. A space heater was found near the woman’s head, and the report noted that “the heater could have fallen in the event the female abruptly fell to the ground.” 
Hackman was discovered in a mudroom with sunglasses nearby. 
Arakawa&#8217;s body was discovered in the house with the door open, showing no signs of forced entry. A deceased dog was found in the bathroom closet, and two other dogs were found alive on the property &#8211; one near Arakawa&#8217;s body and the other roaming freely outside.
The time of death for Arakawa and Hackman is also unclear. Per the search warrant, Arakawa’s body “showed obvious signs of death, body decomposition, bloating in her face and mummification in both hands and feet.” Hackman’s body was “similar and consistent with the female decedent.”
Autopsies were conducted on Thursday morning, but the medical examiner did not publicly announce the cause of death for either party. A statement from the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office noted that there were no signs of trauma on either body, and said toxicology and carbon monoxide tests had been ordered.
Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza told “<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/gene-hackman-wife-found-dead-investigation-santa-fe-sheriffs-rcna193960">Today</a>” that the pills discovered near Arakawa’s body could help solve the mystery of their deaths.  
“That’s obviously very important evidence at the scene,” he said. “So yes, we’re looking at that specifically and other medications that were possibly in the residence. That is something of concern.”
The sheriff also noted that toxicology reports can take up to three months or longer, adding, &#8220;I&#8217;m pretty confident there is no foul play just based on the lack of evidence of foul play, but we of course are not ruling that out.&#8221;

Deaths Of Gene Hackman, Wife Deemed ‘Suspicious Enough’ For ‘Thorough’ Probe

Deaths Of Gene Hackman, Wife Deemed 'Suspicious Enough' For 'Thorough' Probe

Legendary actor Gene Hackman, who was 95, has died.
The Hollywood star was discovered at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, along with his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, 63, on Wednesday. The couple’s dog was also found dead. After responding to a welfare check request, law enforcement entered the home around 1:45 pm. Local officials say there are no signs of foul play, per <a href="https://apnews.com/article/gene-hackman-found-dead-f6c106e92987aeaaab7b35c1b956a5c8">Associated Press</a>, but the cause of death was not immediately revealed, and authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
<a href="https://www.tmz.com/2025/02/27/gene-hackman-family-suspects-carbon-monoxide-poisoning-death/">According</a> to TMZ, Hackman&#8217;s daughter speculates that carbon monoxide poisoning could be the cause.
Hackman played many different types of roles throughout his decades-long career, including being cast as villains, heroes, and antiheroes in many dramas, comedies, and action films.
He was a five-time Oscar nominee, winning twice: once for “The French Connection” (1972) and again for “Unforgiven” (1992).
He’s also known for films such as “I Never Sang for My Father” (1970) and “Mississippi Burning” (1988). Hackman played Lex Luthor in “Superman” (1978) and the sequel “Superman II” (1980). 
He also acted in: “The Poseidon Adventure” (1972), “Scarecrow” (1973), “The Conversation” (1974), “A Bridge Too Far” (1977), “Under Fire” (1983), “Power” (1986), “Loose Cannons” (1990), “The Firm” (1993), “The Quick and the Dead” (1995), “The Birdcage” (1996), “Enemy of the State” (1998), “Behind Enemy Lines” (2001) and “Runaway Jury” (2003). 
His final Hollywood project was a starring role in “Welcome to Mooseport” (2004).
Hackman was born in San Bernardino, California, in 1930 and moved around a lot with his family. He often went to the movies for entertainment and looked up to the actors he saw on screen, including his favorite, James Cagney, per <a href="https://people.com/gene-hackman-wife-dog-found-dead-santa-fe-home-7502751">People</a>. 
The actor recalled his father abandoning the family when he was 13. “It was so precise. Maybe that’s why I became an actor,” Hackman told Vanity Fair in 2013 of his father waving goodbye. “I doubt I would’ve become so sensitive to human behavior if that hadn’t happened to me as a child — if I hadn’t realized how much one small gesture can mean.”
Hackman enlisted in the Marines three years later and served until he was 19. He married Faye Maltese in 1956, and they moved to California, where he joined the Pasadena Playhouse and befriended aspiring actor Dustin Hoffman.
Then he was kicked out of the Playhouse and moved to New York, where he took minor roles, including one in the Arthur Miller play “A View From the Bridge.” He didn’t break into Hollywood until he was in his mid-30s and cast in “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967), which earned the actor his first Academy Award nomination.
He became nationally recognized after scoring the lead in “The French Connection,” for which he took home the Best Actor award at the Oscars.
Hackman and Maltese divorced after 30 years of marriage and three children together. He met Arakawa while she was working at a California gym in the mid-1980s, AP noted, and married her in 1991. Their Santa Fe home was featured in Architectural Digest in 1990. 
Hollywood is mourning the loss, with director Francis Ford Coppola sharing on Instagram, “The loss of a great artist, always cause for both mourning and celebration: Gene Hackman a great actor, inspiring and magnificent in his work and complexity. I mourn his loss, and celebrate his existence and contribution.”
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<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DGkjPLMxrl8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Francis Ford Coppola (@francisfordcoppola)</a>
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Coppola shared a photo of himself with Hackman, who he cast in the 1974 neo-noir mystery thriller “The Conversation.”
Actor George Takei <a href="https://x.com/GeorgeTakei/status/1895044356848918793">wrote</a>, “We have lost one of the true giants of the screen. Gene Hackman could play anyone, and you could feel a whole life behind it. He could be everyone and no one, a towering presence or an everyday Joe. That’s how powerful an actor he was. He will be missed, but his work will live on forever.”

Oscar-Winning Actor Gene Hackman Found Dead Alongside His Wife And Dog

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/crime">criminal</a> case against actor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alec-baldwin">Alec Baldwin</a> related to the fatal shooting on the set of his movie &#8220;Rust&#8221; ended Monday when a prosecutor dropped her appeal of the case&#8217;s dismissal.
Special Prosecutor Kari Morrissey withdrew the appeal, per <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/alec-baldwin-manslaughter-case-dropped-by-new-mexico-prosecutor-2024-12-24/">Reuters</a>, effectively ending the criminal proceedings that have been ongoing since the incident occurred in 2021 in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-mexico">New Mexico</a>.
The decision was made after the state attorney general’s office said that it “did not intend to exhaustively pursue the appeal on behalf of the prosecution,” Morrissey said.
Baldwin was accused of involuntary manslaughter in October 2021. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed when a gun Baldwin was holding discharged on set, but the actor has maintained all along that he never pulled the trigger. The prosecution argued last July that Baldwin was reckless and criminally negligent for firing the gun, while the defense maintained that as an actor, their client was not responsible for gun safety on set.
Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case on the third day of the trial after learning that the prosecution did not reveal a cache of bullets to the defense, per <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/news/alec-baldwin-manslaughter-appeal-dropped-1236258765/">Variety</a>, and that this evidence was potentially crucial. But Morrissey later appealed that decision, saying the bullets were irrelevant to the case. 
Baldwin&#8217;s lawyers Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro made a statement on this most recent development, saying: “Today’s decision to dismiss the appeal is the final vindication of what Alec Baldwin and his attorneys have said from the beginning — this was an unspeakable tragedy but Alec Baldwin committed no crime. The rule of law remains intact in New Mexico.”
The film’s armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, who was accused of loading the gun, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March. She appealed her conviction after the charges against Baldwin were dismissed, but her appeal was denied.
Rust’s safety coordinator David Halls pleaded no contest to negligent use of a firearm. He was sentenced to six months of unsupervised parole.
Baldwin previously settled a civil lawsuit filed by loved ones of Hutchins in 2022. &#8220;I have no interest in engaging in recriminations or attribution of blame (to the producers or Mr. Baldwin),&#8221; the cinematographer&#8217;s husband Matthew said in a statement at the time.
&#8220;All of us believe Halyna’s death was a terrible accident. I am grateful that the producers and the entertainment community have come together to pay tribute to Halyna’s final work,” the widower said.
Meanwhile, Hutchins’ mother Olga Solovey <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mother-of-cinematographer-killed-on-set-boycotts-rust-premiere-says-alec-baldwin-will-profit">boycotted</a> the premiere of the movie in Poland last month, saying she sees the film’s release as an opportunity for Baldwin to “unjustly profit” from her daughter’s death.

Alec Baldwin Off The Hook, New Mexico Prosecutor Drops Manslaughter Case Appeal

Halyna Hutchins

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<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alec-baldwin" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alec Baldwin</a> has won another victory in court after a New Mexico judge denied the state’s motion in the “Rust” case to reconsider the dismissal of the involuntary manslaughter charge against him.
On Thursday, New Mexico Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer filed her judgment that the prosecutors&#8217; arguments have already been presented and said they provided nothing new that would warrant reconsidering her prior decision to dismiss the charges against Baldwin, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/alec-baldwin-rust-shooting-halyna-hutchins-051dfa2cb09a3cbd355aee9ad6ed19c4">Associated Press</a> reported.
“Because the state’s amended motion raises arguments previously made, and arguments that the state elected not to raise earlier, the court does not find the amended motion well taken,” the judge wrote, adding that the request was also untimely (outside the time frame for appeal).
Earlier this year, Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter. He faced up to 18 months in prison, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alec-baldwin-indicted-on-charge-of-involuntary-manslaughter-in-rust-shooting">reported</a>. However, the charges were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-dismisses-criminal-case-against-alec-baldwin-after-prosecutors-hid-evidence">dismissed</a> on the third day of his trial in July, with the judge ruling prosecution hid evidence from the defense.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A judge on Friday refused to reopen the manslaughter case against Alec Baldwin, standing by her earlier decision to throw out the charge due to withheld evidence.<a href="https://t.co/q0WIdAZK3A">https://t.co/q0WIdAZK3A</a>
— Variety (@Variety) <a href="https://twitter.com/Variety/status/1849845877638123534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
The charges stem from an incident on the New Mexico film set of Baldwin’s movie “Rust,” on October 21, 2021, when Baldwin began filming a scene and the gun he was holding fired a live round that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured the film’s director, Joel Souza. Baldwin repeatedly maintained that there was “no trigger pull.”
Following the decision Thursday, the special prosecutor in the case, Kari Morrissey, told the AP she would be appealing the latest ruling, disagreeing with the judge.
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In January, a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alec-baldwin-indicted-on-charge-of-involuntary-manslaughter-in-rust-shooting">grand jury</a> indicted the “Saturday Night Live” star for involuntary manslaughter. Two special prosecutors, Morrissey and Jason Lewis, presented their case to the grand jury after receiving further analysis about the gun used, <a href="https://variety.com/2024/biz/news/alec-baldwin-manslaughter-rust-shooting-again-1235875855/">Variety</a> noted.
Baldwin’s attorneys, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, released a statement at the time that said, “We look forward to our day in court.”
In January 2023, the Santa Fe County District Attorney’s Office charged Baldwin with two counts of involuntary manslaughter following Hutchins&#8217; death. The charges were dismissed without prejudice in April after the actor’s legal team claimed the gun had been modified in some way which caused it to malfunction, the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/alec-baldwin-rust-set-shooting-charge-59e437602146168ced27fd8e03acb636?taid=65aacd8c30e2620001dd1747&amp;utm_campaign=TrueAnthem&amp;utm_medium=AP&amp;utm_source=Twitter">Associated Press</a> noted.
Prosecutors made clear at the time, “This decision does not absolve Mr. Baldwin of criminal culpability and charges may be refiled.”
In April, the film’s weapons supervisor, 26-year-old <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/woman-involved-in-alec-baldwin-rust-shooting-sentenced">Hannah Gutierrez-Reed</a>, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after she was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the fatal shooting of Hutchins. In September, Sommer rejected Gutierrez-Reed&#8217;s request to dismiss her conviction or have a new trial following the dismissal of charges against Baldwin, the AP noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-dismisses-criminal-case-against-alec-baldwin-after-prosecutors-hid-evidence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Judge Dismisses Criminal Case Against Alec Baldwin After Prosecutors Hid Evidence</a>

Celebrity Sightings In Rome – April 3, 2022

Alec Baldwin Wins Another Court Victory After Judge Denies State’s Motion In ‘Rust’ Case

“Rust” will premiere three years after the 2021 fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico film set — where a gun <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/alec-baldwin">Alec Baldwin</a> was holding discharged a bullet, leaving her dead and injuring writer-director Joel Souza.
Baldwin’s indie western will have its world premiere at Poland’s Camerimage <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/t/international/">International</a> Film Festival in late November, with Souza expected to appear along with cinematographer Bianca Cline, who stepped in to finish the film after a wrongful death lawsuit was settled in October 2022, the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/rust-premiere-camerimage-alec-baldwin-1236023256/">Hollywood Reporter</a> reported. 
However, sources with knowledge of the situation said that Baldwin, the star of the movie and lead producer, is not expected to be at the premiere.
Organizers called Hutchins the “Ukrainian cinematographer who was part of the festival family,” and said it was always her dream to see the movie premiere at Camerimage, according to the festival.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
‘Rust’ gets a premiere date — 3 years after tragedy struck set — but will Alec Baldwin be there? <a href="https://t.co/8lyo6YlGMw">https://t.co/8lyo6YlGMw</a> <a href="https://t.co/a0xbd0aGC2">pic.twitter.com/a0xbd0aGC2</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1841851687524302899?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
“The filmmakers will discuss events surrounding the film, offering insight into continuing production after Halyna’s death,” Camerimage organizers said. “Maintaining Hutchins’ artistic vision, as tremendously challenging as it was for the entire crew, was really important to the filmmakers, hoping to fulfill their duty to complete her work.”
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“Halyna’s story will serve as a starting point for a conversation about the role of women in cinematography and their contributions to the art of filmmaking,” the statement added. “Another key topic of the discussion will be safety on set.”
Speaking recently to <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/story/rust-filmmaker-joel-souza-finally-speaks-about-the-fatal-shooting">Vanity Fair</a>, Souza talked about the fatal shooting, returning to the film set, and finishing the film Hutchins was shooting, making it clear the fatal scene she had shot has vanished “in its entirety.”
“Gone. Not just that, but also a few things leading up to it,” Souza said. “Everything needed to be entirely reconceived there. There were a few things that came before that now wouldn’t make story sense. So we just sort of eliminated it and came up with something entirely different.”
“I’m not going back to that,” he added. “I’m glad you asked. I don’t want anyone who ever does see this to be waiting for that. No one ever pushed to keep anything like that.”
The armorer in charge of weapons on set, Hannah Gutierrez Reed, was previously sentenced to 18 months in prison for her role in Hutchins’ death.
Baldwin was charged with involuntary manslaughter. He faced up to 18 months in prison. However, the charges were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-dismisses-criminal-case-against-alec-baldwin-after-prosecutors-hid-evidence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dismissed</a> on the third day of his trial in July, with the judge ruling prosecution hid evidence from the defense.
The Camerimage festival will take place Nov. 16-23 in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Toruń, Poland.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rust-filmmaker-breaks-silence-following-fatal-shooting-talks-second-filming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘Rust’ Filmmaker Breaks Silence Following Fatal Shooting, Talks Second Filming</a>

RUST Picture1

‘Rust’ Movie To Premiere Three Years After Fatal Shooting, Alec Baldwin Not Expected

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Poland

The co-founder of Mexico&#8217;s notorious <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/drug-cartels" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sinaloa drug cartel</a> was reportedly arrested in New Mexico on Thursday during a U.S. law enforcement operation.
KTSM 9 News <a href="https://www.ktsm.com/news/drug-kingpin-reportedly-arrested-at-santa-teresa-airport/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that drug kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, who is in his late 70s and reportedly in poor health, was taken into custody at the Santa Teresa International Jetport in New Mexico which is right next to El Paso, Texas.
Zambada has been on the run from U.S. law enforcement for decades after he started the drug cartel with drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who was sentenced to life in prison in the U.S. in 2019.
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The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/25/world/americas/mexico-cartel-ismael-zambada-garcia-joaquin-guzman-lopez.html">reported</a> that Zambada and drug trafficker Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of El Chapo who is believed to have been elevated to a leadership role in the drug cartel, both surrendered to U.S. law enforcement officials at the small airport.
Both men face numerous charges in the U.S. for leading the cartel&#8217;s criminal operations that include pumping billions of dollars worth of drugs onto America&#8217;s streets, including being the primary drug cartel <a href="https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2024/06/18/federal-indictment-alleges-alliance-between-sinaloa-cartel-and-money#:~:text=The%20Sinaloa%20Cartel%20is%20largely,both%20sides%20of%20the%20border.">responsible</a> for flooding illicit U.S. drug markets with fentanyl.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said that the two were part of &#8220;one of the most violent and powerful drug trafficking organizations in the world.&#8221;
&#8220;El Mayo and Guzman Lopez join a growing list of Sinaloa Cartel leaders and associates who the Justice Department is holding accountable in the United States,&#8221; the statement said. &#8220;That includes the Cartel’s other cofounder, Joaquin Guzman Loera, or &#8216;El Chapo&#8217;; another of El Chapo’s sons and an alleged Cartel leader, Ovidio Guzman Lopez; and the Cartel’s alleged lead sicario, Néstor Isidro Pérez Salas, or &#8216;El Nini.'&#8221;
&#8220;Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat our country has ever faced, and the Justice Department will not rest until every single cartel leader, member, and associate responsible for poisoning our communities is held accountable,&#8221; the statement added.
This is a breaking news story; refresh the page for updates.

Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada

Co-Founder Of Notorious Sinaloa Drug Cartel Arrested In New Mexico: Report

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