The Investigation Surrounding Natalie Wood’s Tragic Death Reopened!
Huge news in Hollywood today – the investigation surrounding the death of legendary Actress Natalie Wood is being reopened again!
Wood died in 1981 under mysterious circumstances, after a volatile night with husband Robert Wagner.
Great reporting on Deadline.com by Anita Busch today, a really well-written story about the night Wood died, and why police have reopened the case – here are a few select highlights, including soundbites from a press conference on Monday Feb. 5th in LA:
“John Corina, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant, revealed that since they have been investigating actress Natalie Wood drowning death about 100 people came forth, and new witnesses were identified that have helped articulate the timeline. “We’re closer to understanding what happened that weekend, and how it kinda went down. Before we were all believing this story that she got in the dingy and tried to go into town in her nightgown and her socks by herself when it’s raining out and the seas are really rough and you can’t even see at midnight which made absolutely no sense if you really think about it,” said Corina.”
American actors Robert Wagner and his wife Natalie Wood (1938 – 1981), circa 1970. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)
Natalie Wood was 43 years old when she died in 1981. Husband Robert Wagner and her “Brainstorm” co-star Christopher Walken were on the Yacht that night, along with the Yacht’s Captain Dennis Davern.
The story reports that new witnesses to the events that night have turned up to give new information that the police are acting upon. Several people on surrounding boats in Catalina Harbor that night confirm the couple had been arguing loudly.
Busch also reports:
“Wood appeared to have fresh bruises on her body and may have been a victim of an assault. “There were bruises on Natalie Wood’s body … (the Coroner) said they are non-mechanical and probably caused by another person … I can’t say who caused the injuries. We know the last person who was with her before she went in the water. And that was Mr. Wagner.”
“We have a better understanding now,” said Corina. He added that what determines whether “it was accident or murder is we find out how she went in the water,” said Corina, who said that the Captain of the boat confirmed that actor Christopher Walken who was a guest on the boat was sleeping at the time that Wood went missing. “Was she placed in the water? Was she unconscious and then placed in the water? Was she put in the water by somebody? Or did she accidentally fall into the water and nobody helped her?”
Wow. This will be an interesting story to follow.
Read Anita Busch’s entire story here on Deadline.com:
Wood’s Sister Lana wrote a book about life with her sister:
Lana Wood is reported to have an estranged relationship with her former Brother-In-Law Wagner, which she writes about:
Lana Wood has struggled lately, and I shared the story of her becoming homeless, and how friends and fans banded together to help her – you can see more of that story here:
We’ll wait to see what happens next in this mysterious Hollywood story…
Categories: 70's Cinema, Action Films, Art, Books / Media, Cult Movies, Film Fight Club, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Memoirs, Movies, Talent/Celebrities, TV Show
The Buzzfeed episode on it was very good.
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Nothing will come of this, just like before. “Not enough evidence to make an arrest at this time”… uh huh. Wow, new witnesses! Just people trying to make a fast buck from an old story, fuelled by TV tabloid ‘investigations’ most likely. I wonder who they will get to play the main characters for their dramatic reenactment?
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I worked at E! when “Mysteries & Scndals” was on the air, and the team did a great job reporting the story…there is unlikely to be anything coming out after all these years, but you are right, it’s being fueled by tabloid fascination…
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I agree that there have been plenty of red flags with this case and Robert Wagner’s role in what happened that night. It would be nice if finally after all this time Lana gets some closure.
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Not sure what could have been uncovered now, unless someone has been sitting on something they witnessed all those years ago…a sad end to such a terrific talent…
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This is just a disgrace. There were red flags all over the case so many years ago, and now they have to re-open the case again, which should have been solved many years ago. In the course of the last few years, I think I have read at least a dozen or so articles about how Natalie Wood’s death was not accidental at all. I just cannot believe they could not have done more for her at that time, at least regarding her husband.
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It’s very strange that there are more “witnesses” to this – and the grandiose statements at the press event…the police conference feels very “suspicious” – 37 years on!
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Sorry, Bob Wagner. But that incident just reeks of lies and deceit. No chance it happened like that.
Best wishes, Pet.
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Pete, it’s a Hollywood mystery that won’t go away – and his actions that night have ALWAYS been suspect.
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Small wonder, John.
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