CA - Natalie Wood, 43, drowned off California coast, 29 Nov 1981

[Columbo]

I watched it this morning. I found it odd she didn't mention fear of water unless I missed it. She talked about the Captain still calls her and cries about how RW was miserable and he feels he let her down and that he is usually drinking when he does that. She said it's like he needs to unburden sometimes. I thought it odd that she had no relationship at all with RW and had known him for so many years. I personally just think RW is an *advertiser censored** and most likely threw her off the boat not in the literal sense but leave in the dinghy and turned and never looked back. But then again, other stories being told lighten that one for me but this death has always set my hinky meter off.

bolded by me.

She didn't mention Natalie's fear of water, but she really didn't get into specifics of the case, or her suspicions.

I agree with you about RW. I also don't think he intentionally murdered her or did it premeditatively, but this death has always set my hinky meter off, as well.

 

[eve]

Great post Sandrine, the thing is, the charges that were never filed should have been filed against the CAPTAIN for not following protocol. He is the only one who can be proven by his own confession to have broken a law and not been charged. RW had no legal obligation to do so, the captain did.

I will laugh my arse off if this happens but I doubt it will. Be he is the only one who legally 100 percent committed a crime.

I doubt it will happen though. But I hope the DA has the balls to do it.

The captain is the only one on the boat who has confessed anything, but negligent homicide could be a logical charge for Robert Wagner. Negligent homicide focuses on those who allow others to die through criminal negligence. Negligence by its definition encompasses a duty of care.

Eve

 

[kINGFISHER]

It sounds like a brief note, but maybe they could analyze the handwriting or paper somehow-- if she still has it.

If she still has the letter then I think that finger prints can be lifted in some cases after forty years from paper. New techniques have developed since her death. But noticed that police said they were only interested in dna found on a body nothing else. Like to know who sent that letter, that could add some weight .

 

[eve]

The Captain also wanted to get into show business. RW got him roles on Hart to Hart. He also moved in with RW for a while. Then he accused RW of blackballing him and not being able to make it in Hollywood. Right. That's part of why it looks like a vindictive act to me.

Interesting it sounds like the Captain moved in w/ RW right after her death, and then got guest roles. Looks like a bribery (keepa yo mouth shut) act to me. As for the alleged blackballing, who knows? Maybe RW just got sick of it, and felt enough time had passed and that there was no evidence that would stand up (which there probably isn't). Also, fwiw, it was in an article quoting Lana where I first learned of Natalie's fear of water and their mother's dark prediction. She talked of it years ago.

Eve

 

[Chewy]

The captain is the only one on the boat who has confessed anything, but negligent homicide could be a logical charge for Robert Wagner. Negligent homicide focuses on those who allow others to die through criminal negligence. Negligence by its definition encompasses a duty of care.

Eve

From what I read RW could only be charged with second degree manslaughter which has a statute of limitations that has passed. Another reason this seems like a publicity stunt to me.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

From what I read RW could only be charged with second degree manslaughter which has a statute of limitations that has passed. Another reason this seems like a publicity stunt to me.

Interesting.

 

[eve]

From what I read RW could only be charged with second degree manslaughter which has a statute of limitations that has passed. Another reason this seems like a publicity stunt to me.

This doesn't make sense to me but I will be checking it out. No S/L on murder. I don't think LE would be investigating if they thought it were a stunt or if S/L had run precluding them for charging anyone. But maybe something in CA law...


Eve

 

[Chewy]

Murder has no statute of limitations but there is nothing to indicate RW should be charged with murder. At the least secondary manslaughter which has a SL

 

[Columbo]

I went to Amazon looking for information about Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour, and I ended up reading some of the reviews people gave for this book. Interesting.


The review by Peter L. Winkler has some new information (?) I'd never heard of. He says among other things that: "In his original statement to police, Davern said he noticed the dinghy was missing at about 12:20 am. After Davern informed Wagner, Wagner took the other dinghy in an attempt to locate his wife. At 1 am Wagner notified the harbor patrol to search for her. "

Wagner never took the other dinghy to look for her, did he? Where the heck did that idea come from?

Here's a link--scroll down a little past midway to see the Winkler review: http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Natalie-Splendour-Marti-Rulli/product-reviews/1597776394?pageNumber=6

The other reviews are pretty interesting, too. Meanwhile I'm trying to find original police reports to see if there is any mention of Wagner going out to search in the dinghy. It sounds preposterous, given his condition and that of everyone else on board.

ETA: I hope it's okay for me to post the link to these reviews here...it didn't seem like it would be a violation of TOS. I apologize if it is.

 

[Quiche]

After catching up on this thread tonight, and reading the new witness statements, I have a few questions and several observations.

I noted that the we keep referring to as The Captain, referred to himself as a skipper on the Splendour that night. Is it possible that Wagner, himself, has maritime experience and wore the Captain's hat on the Splendour? (RW adamantly claimed "get off MY boat" this might connote a hierarchical position, as it's been stated she owned it.) I know that Skipper can also mean the same thing, but I'm curious about Wagner's boating status/licenses at that time, nonetheless.

Wagner moving the Skipper into his home and breaking him into show biz appeared a classic case of keep your friends close and your enemies closer, imo. ( a la Kato Kaelin)

TWO DOZEN BRUISES!! A broken wine bottle (that's a deadly weapon-- 1st Degree if I'm not mistaking) and contusions on NW's face. I think he hit her in the head with that thing.

Alcohol and Quaaludes! Omg, I took one of those ONCE (in the 70's) and the entire world was a dinghy! I, literally, could not stand up! This would seriously compromise her strength and ability to stay oriented, as well as anyone else on that boat's ability to stay focused. I know the Quaalude night was Friday, but iirc, the autopsy listed a number of prescription drugs present. I think it's safe to say that Saturday was equally stressful and conducive to mixing drink and drugs.

RW's lack of normal husbandly behaviors (iow, not the consummate faker we had in Casey Anthony), he was entirely lacking in response to a very personal tragedy. The actor didn't act, he covered up and insisted witnesses shut up-- to avoid a media scandal surrounding poor Natalie, of course.

Powerful people fired and removed from the society RW mingled in (the Isthmas area of Catalina crowd).


Yeah, I'm glad it's opened up and hopefully it will get the investigation it deserves.


May she finally get to RIP.

mo

 

[Columbo]

After catching up on this thread tonight, and reading the new witness statements, I have a few questions and several observations.

I noted that the we keep referring to as The Captain, referred to himself as a skipper on the Splendour that night. Is it possible that Wagner, himself, has maritime experience and wore the Captain's hat on the Splendour? (RW adamantly claimed "get off MY boat" this might connote a hierarchical position, as it's been stated she owned it.) I know that Skipper can also mean the same thing, but I'm curious about Wagner's boating status/licenses at that time, nonetheless.

Wagner moving the Skipper into his home and breaking him into show biz appeared a classic case of keep your friends close and your enemies closer, imo. ( a la Kato Kaelin)

TWO DOZEN BRUISES!! A broken wine bottle (that's a deadly weapon-- 1st Degree if I'm not mistaking) and contusions on NW's face. I think he hit her in the head with that thing.

Alcohol and Quaaludes! Omg, I took one of those ONCE (in the 70's) and the entire world was a dinghy! I, literally, could not stand up! This would seriously compromise her strength and ability to stay oriented, as well as anyone else on that boat's ability to stay focused. I know the Quaalude night was Friday, but iirc, the autopsy listed a number of prescription drugs present. I think it's safe to say that Saturday was equally stressful and conducive to mixing drink and drugs.

RW's lack of normal husbandly behaviors (iow, not the consummate faker we had in Casey Anthony), he was entirely lacking in response to a very personal tragedy. The actor didn't act, he covered up and insisted witnesses shut up-- to avoid a media scandal surrounding poor Natalie, of course.

Powerful people fired and removed from the society RW mingled in (the Isthmas area of Catalina crowd).


Yeah, I'm glad it's opened up and hopefully it will get the investigation it deserves.


May she finally get to RIP.

mo

bolded by me.

Great observation, Quiche. I think you definitely may have something here.

As far as the quaaludes, I thought that Davern gave them all quaaludes the night they went to the restaurant because they were all so agitated and he thought it would calm them down--wasn't that the same night that the incident occurred? I need to read the accounts again, but I thought it was Saturday.

 

[Chewy]

Robert Wagner was drunk and doing drugs as well. So was Walken. All three of them were drunk and doing drugs. If you are going to let one person off the hook for drugs then it applies to everyone else as well. Which means RW's judgment would have been completely messed up.


So was the Captain who indeed was the captain. Curious, I didn't know he was referring to himself as the "skipper" if he's doing that it's because he knows he can be held liable.

I'd be curious as well to see why he's been referred to as the Captain all this time and now suddenly he is referring to himself as the skipper.

Also RW owned the boat. I doubt he was ordering her off as the Captain.


http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18559_1...ilence-to-48-hours/?tag=cbsnewsMainColumnArea

"All the questions, all the investigation I did-- just related to she accidentally fell off the back of their boat," Rasure tells "48 Hours" for its Saturday night broadcast.

"It was an accidental drowning, she just happened to be a famous movie star. She was a small lady. She drowned in short time, I'd say," Rasure says.

And Dennis Davern is not telling the full truth, according to Rasure. The detective sergeant, who has been at the heart of a number of Hollywood murder cases, tells "48 Hours" that Davern "just made himself look good in his book."

"48 Hours" Presents Vanity Fair: Hollywood Scandal
"Obviously he was trying to sell a book and make money off of it. And I think that's the whole purpose behind his-- his writing this book," Rasure tells CBS.

"If I have ever the slightest inkling there was a murder, something suspicious, I would have worked it," Rasure says. "I did not cover for anybody and I wouldn't cover for anybody. I don't care about their celebrity status. They were people."

Rasure tells "48 Hours" that his 1981 investigation was conducted over a period of several weeks.

According to Rasure, Wagner's version of events went like this: "He said that they had been together on the boat and he had assumed that she went to bed. He went to look for her. She was gone from the master bedroom about the same time the captain, Dennis Davern, noticed that their Zodiac boat was gone. At that time they assumed that -- she'd got in it and went back ashore," Rasure tells "48 Hours."

"There was time. They were uncertain," he says. "They felt that she had gone ashore in a Zodiac, that nothing was wrong. He did call and have the people on the shore search. Finally, one of the search boats come out to the Splendor, picked up Robert Wagner and took him in to do some more ground searching."

"The only person who really knows is Natalie Wood. Robert Wagner knows. I think he told me the truth."

37 Photos
Natalie Wood
View the Full Gallery »

 

[SuziQ]

This entire thing is just odd. The only thing I can figure is LE wants to get current info into the files, since everyone stories has changed so much. In case something shakes loose in the future? IDK. Would LE have to reopen a case to do that though? Am I making any sense? lol.

Natalie Wood InvestigationExercise in Futility

http://www.tmz.com/2011/11/22/no-prosecution-natalie-wood-death-investigation/

 

[kINGFISHER]

SuziQ Natalie Wood Investigation Exercise in Futility

Interesting doesn't seem very hopeful but maybe things will come out that weren't known .Although they may not get him for either murder or manslaughter he is not going to come out of this looking very good if new information nearer to the truth comes out. So for that reason alone they should keep going

 

[eve]

Murder has no statute of limitations but there is nothing to indicate RW should be charged with murder. At the least secondary manslaughter which has a SL

Do you mean to say "At the most?" Otherwise I am not following you. I would think that is what the investigation would be about --- whether there is anything that would indicate anyone should be charged with murder. Do you mean manslaughter in the second degree or involuntary manslaughter?

Eve

 

[Cazzie]

After Natalie Wood she cooked breakfast, which she did after returning from Avalon the yacht was moved to the Isthmus. ...DID THEY MOVE THE BOAT THAT NIGHT IT SAID WHEN THEY BOTH RETURNED N AND D, RW AND CW WERE SUFFERING WITH A HANGOVER AFTER BEING ALONE ON THE BOAT ALL NIGHT. WHY DID DAVERNE FEEL HE HAD TO STAY WITH NATILIE ALL NIGHT .

I'm sorry. :blush: I don't understand...can you please elaborate? Perhaps some elaboration and more punctuation...again, apologies.

 

[eve]

I'm sorry. :blush: I don't understand...can you please elaborate? Perhaps some elaboration and more punctuation...again, apologies.

I think the poster is referring to the report that Natalie and the captain spent Fri. overnight on shore and returned to the boat Sat. The poster is asking why the two of them stayed on shore -- why he stayed too. He was also her bodyguard, correct?

Extension of the question -- if RW was hostile toward CW, why would he stay on boat w/ him without Natalie? Was he feeling even more hostile toward Natalie at the time? Did he want to keep CW away from NW and pump him to see if something was happening between the co-stars? Was there something going on between RW and CW?

It was said she didn't agree with RW's moving the boat to Isthmus, a more secluded spot. When they returned she cooked breakfast and C and R were hungover after Fri. night "alone" on the boat. I also read she checked for seaplanes out, as she didn't want to stay. If this is true, why?

I think these tidbits are included in the captain's story because they want to assert premeditation, probably the only thing that could keep this case alive under CA law. There will have to be evidence of murder for a charge, even though it is easy to see other logical charges stemming from the death, none would work after 30 years in CA.

Eve

 

[Chewy]

Again if you lie down the captains assertions and really look at them they don't make sense.

Why WOULD Walken stay on board if RW was so incredibly hostile towards him. Also how could Walken if RW was so outrageously angry to the point of blows just walk into his stateroom and fall asleep???

Yes it could possibly happen but think about the reality of that. Someone is screaming in your face and threatening you and smashing things and then screaming at his wife so loud that the captain had to turn up the radio to blasting to tune it out, but Walken just went in his room and fell asleep.

Uh huh.

 

[Cazzie]

I think the poster is referring to the report that Natalie and the captain spent Fri. overnight on shore and returned to the boat Sat. The poster is asking why the two of them stayed on shore -- why he stayed too. He was also her bodyguard, correct?

Extension of the question -- if RW was hostile toward CW, why would he stay on boat w/ him without Natalie? Was he feeling even more hostile toward Natalie at the time? Did he want to keep CW away from NW and pump him to see if something was happening between the co-stars? Was there something going on between RW and CW?

It was said she didn't agree with RW's moving the boat to Isthmus, a more secluded spot. When they returned she cooked breakfast and C and R were hungover after Fri. night "alone" on the boat. I also read she checked for seaplanes out, as she didn't want to stay. If this is true, why?

I think these tidbits are included in the captain's story because they want to assert premeditation, probably the only thing that could keep this case alive under CA law. There will have to be evidence of murder for a charge, even though it is easy to see other logical charges stemming from the death, none would work after 30 years in CA.

Eve

TY.

BBM 1. Perhaps this explained someone's speculation (was it yours?) that perhaps RW had training and thus Captain status. If not, was it "kosher" for him to move the boat with DD onshore?

It sounds like things were going awry for a few days, which I attribute to RW being out of control, JMO.

BBM 2. I didn't know about the seaplane thing...where did you read that?

Regarding why RW and CW stayed on the boat while NW and DD went ashore for the nite...other than DD protecting NW and trying to avoid an altercation with RW...perhaps the rumors about RW being bi are true? And perhaps RW had been projecting infidelity onto Natalie...who knows?...perhaps he felt that both CW and NW were cheating on him (or his intentions)...

Perhaps all 3 (or 4) were intimate in various combinations, who knows? Only 3 of the 4 are still alive....

Call it intuition, but RW seemed/seems to be a very controlling person, and when you combine that with celebrity, power, and money...well, seemingly, no one else is gonna win, JMO. But we shall see...

I don't think it's a coincidence that Lana didn't interact with RW after Natalie's death...nor that both she and DD seem afraid of someone/something in their MSM videos...

 

[Chewy]

Yet Natasha Gregson Wagner stayed in contact with RW and does not speak to her mothers side of the family even though she was not RWs daughter.

Lana Wood has done nothing since NW's death but sell her story.