Cops busy in investigating the Gene Hackman case are now shedding light on a shocking mistake that they made during the process.

This included incorrectly identifying the dog that was found dead alongside the couple inside their million dollar mansion.

Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakwa were found lifeless at the $3.8M home in separate rooms by a caretaker around 1:35 pm in New Mexico.

Police initially claimed the couple’s German Shepherd was named Bear and he was found dead inside his kennel at the residence. Now, sources shared that he was in fact alive this whole time.

He was healthy and staying at the pet daycare center in Santa Fe alongside the other dog named Nikita. The seven-year-old Akita shepherd mix, as per USA Today, left many in awe.

The dog that was really found dead at the residence was Zinna, their 12-year-old Reddish Australian Kelpie, which is a mixed breed. The couple’s friend shared the news with the media outlet.

One animal chiropractor, who was familiar with the couple, says he was so thrown off and upset by the news but had little to no idea that the wrong dog would also be called lifeless, but that was not the case.

‘I cannot handle that image of the deaths. It’s just so very tragic and disturbing. I hope we can find out what happened to them soon, Gaber mentioned.