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

[DeDee]

Wagner is pushing 90. I wish they could have done this years ago, but better late than never, I guess.

Let the ******** die in prison. May wrath be the last thing on Earth he knows.

 

[Hatfield]

JMO
This renewed interest coming out in the case makes me wonder if there may have been some "hush money" given to someone high up in the LA County Sheriffs department back when it originally happened.

Or maybe there was/is just a natural tendency for that area to try to protect well known celebrities.

From the article it sounds like the renewed interest started about 6 years ago. Or in 2011 when the case was reopened according to the article. Wondering if someone high up retired about then. Just speculating.

I will be interested to hear what new information (if any) is shown during the TV special.

"As we've investigated the case over the last six years, I think he's more of a person of interest now," L.A. County Sheriff's Department Lieutenant John Corina said. "I mean, we know now that he was the last person to be with Natalie before she disappeared."

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai...interest-natalie-wood-death-article-1.3792539

 

[webaddict]

I'm going with the simplest explanation (Occam's razor) - she was very "drugged out", had a lot of cocaine and alcohol in her system, and stumbled overboard and drowned.

There's no cover up, no murder mystery.

She just fell overboard in a tragic accident.

That's my two cents.

What about the bruises? The autopsy report stated that she had fresh bruises: http://www.foxnews.com/entertainmen...talie-woods-1981-death-investigators-say.html

 

[Deleted member 158085]

Old article, but worth bringing back up, as it has Christopher Walken's theory of what happened. Full disclosure - I'm in the process of reading this thread from the beginning. I'm at the end of 2011 posts and haven't seen any mention of anything Walken actually said about this, even though it was reportedly in a 1997 interview.

“Anybody there saw the logistics -- of the boat, the night, where we were, that it was raining -- and would know exactly what happened,” Walken told*Playboy Magazine. “You hear about things happening to people – they slip in the bathtub, fall down the stairs, step off the curb in London because they think that the cars come the other way – and they die. You feel you want to die making an effort at something; you don’t want to die in some unnecessary way.”

“What happened that night only she knows, because she was alone,” he said. “She had gone to bed before us, and her room was at the back. A dinghy was bouncing against the side of the boat, and I think she went out to move it. There was a ski ramp that was partially in the water. It was slippery – I had walked on it myself. She had told me she couldn’t swim; in fact, they had to cut a swimming scene from [Brainstorm]. She was probably half asleep, and she was wearing a coat.”

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/natalie-wood-death-christopher-walken-263792


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[redheadedgal]

"I haven't seen him tell the details that match all the other witnesses in this case," Corina said. "I think he's constantly changed his story a little bit. And his version of events just don't add up."

https://www.buzzfeed.com/marcusjones/actor-robert-wagner-has-been-named-as-a-person-of-interest?

 

[Betty P]

Link to Natalie Wood's autopsy & toxicology report

http://www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/Celebs/wood, natalie_report.pdf

I've always been concerned about the fresh bruises she had on her arms and front and back of her legs. Never made sense that these occurred as some claimed, when she was trying to climb back into the inflatable dinghy. How do you get so many bruises all up and down the back of your legs and thighs from that?

When reading the tox report keep in mind seeing a drug written on the report only means she was tested for that drug, not necessarily that she had it in her system. Most of the drugs she was tested for are marked ND - none detected. Only ones I can see are an anti-nausea medication and Darvon, in addition to alcohol.

The report also includes a list of drugs she had been prescribed, not that she had taken them that night.

 

[HopelessinCa]

I was glad to open yahoo today to see headlines. I have never felt it was accident. I have always felt Robert Wagner's power in Hollywood swept her murder under the rug

 

[Noirdame79]

“Actor Robert Wagner is being labeled a "person of interest" in the drowning death of Natalie Wood nearly four decades ago.”

“The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in an upcoming interview with CBS' "48 Hours" that after continuing the investigation over the years, Wagner, now 87, has become of interest since he was the last person to see Wood.”

“Natalie Wood: Death in Dark Water" will air on Feb. 3 at 10 p.m. on CBS, featuring new witnesses, evidences and theories as to what happened the night of her death.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai...interest-natalie-wood-death-article-1.3792539

I've known about this for a while, but finally, it's official!

 

[Noirdame79]

INVESTIGATOR CALLS ROBERT WAGNER A "PERSON OF INTEREST" IN NATALIE WOOD DROWNING DEATH

For the first time since reopening the investigation into the mysterious death of the legendary actress, investigators speak out to "48 Hours"

Nearly four decades after the unexplained drowning death of Hollywood star Natalie Wood, Los Angeles County Sheriff's investigators tell "48 Hours" that her then-husband, actor Robert Wagner, is now a person of interest. Investigators want to speak with Wagner about the circumstances surrounding her death one night in 1981, they say in interviews for "Natalie Wood: Death in Dark Water" to be broadcast Saturday, Feb. 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

"As we've investigated the case over the last six years, I think he's more of a person of interest now," Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Lieutenant John Corina says of Wagner in an interview with "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty. "I mean, we know now that he was the last person to be with Natalie before she disappeared."


https://www.cbsnews.com/news/natalie-wood-death-robert-wagner-person-of-interest-says-investigator/

 

[Really?]

Let the ******** die in prison. May wrath be the last thing on Earth he knows.

But will the networks stop replaying " Hart to Hart" ?

 

[MaryG12]

JMO
This renewed interest coming out in the case makes me wonder if there may have been some "hush money" given to someone high up in the LA County Sheriffs department back when it originally happened.

Or maybe there was/is just a natural tendency for that area to try to protect well known celebrities.

From the article it sounds like the renewed interest started about 6 years ago. Or in 2011 when the case was reopened according to the article. Wondering if someone high up retired about then. Just speculating.

I will be interested to hear what new information (if any) is shown during the TV special.

"As we've investigated the case over the last six years, I think he's more of a person of interest now," L.A. County Sheriff's Department Lieutenant John Corina said. "I mean, we know now that he was the last person to be with Natalie before she disappeared."

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai...interest-natalie-wood-death-article-1.3792539

I remember when Natalie Wood died - 1981, marked my first year in high school, and Robert Wagner was at the height of his career on "Hart to Hart" - my family used to watch that show all the time.

It would not surprise me if hush money was involved at some point soon after Natalie's death because if RW did have any sort of involvement in her death it would have been the end of his career in Hollywood.

FWIW Hollywood has always had its share of scandals since its inception, such as Roscoe "Fatty Arbuckle".

 

[Trvl4Lyfe]

“Actor Robert Wagner is being labeled a "person of interest" in the drowning death of Natalie Wood nearly four decades ago.”

“The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in an upcoming interview with CBS' "48 Hours" that after continuing the investigation over the years, Wagner, now 87, has become of interest since he was the last person to see Wood.”

“Natalie Wood: Death in Dark Water" will air on Feb. 3 at 10 p.m. on CBS, featuring new witnesses, evidences and theories as to what happened the night of her death.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai...interest-natalie-wood-death-article-1.3792539

That's that slowwwww Hollywood justice...

 

[BeachSky]

I was glad to open yahoo today to see headlines. I have never felt it was accident. I have always felt Robert Wagner's power in Hollywood swept her murder under the rug

He switched over to Jill St John just 6 mo post Natalie’s death. THAT really bothered me.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Los Angeles County sheriff's officials say actress Natalie Wood's drowning is now being probed as a 'suspicious death' after new witnesses emerged.

The announcement from sheriff's homicide detectives comes hours after CBS News aired an interview with an investigator who said Wood's husband, actor Robert Wagner is considered a 'person of interest' in her 1981 death.

Wood disappeared after a night of drinking on a yacht with her husband and others. Her body was found later floating in the water.

It was declared an accident but police reopened the case in 2011 to see whether Wagner or anyone else played a role.

Sheriff's officials say one new witness described hearing yelling and crashing sounds coming from the couple's stateroom.

They said other witnesses saw a man and woman arguing on the back of the boat.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...person-Natalie-Woods-death.html#ixzz55wB8Y5Ro

 

[Strangeworld]

I was named after Natalie Wood - mainly because I was born with jet black hair. Problem - that lasted all of a couple of weeks before it went red then white then dropped out...now I'm a natural blonde :giggle: But I've always felt a special connection to her and the tragic way she passed away.

Dad has always said that from the day he heard she had died, he said Wagner killed her.

 

[Trino]

Robert Wagner is 87. A trial would take a couple of years. What justice can society expect even if he is found guilty? Sad it too this long.

 

[SCHMAE]

I am so excited about these new developments. I will have to re familiarize myself with the details. What a long time coming!!!

 

[Deleted member 158085]

I don't want this to be true only for the sake of his and her children. I don't care much about Wagner - never was a fan. And personally, I feel like I will cry if Walken is implicated in any way because I just utterly adore him.

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[SCHMAE]

I don't want this to be true only for the sake of his and her children. I don't care much about Wagner - never was a fan. And personally, I feel like I will cry if Walken is implicated in any way because I just utterly adore him.

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Me too. I love Walken. I hope he will come forward and crack the case somehow!

 

[Betty P]

Me too. I love Walken. I hope he will come forward and crack the case somehow!

My theory has been that Walken was in an impossible situation. He wasn't a big name actor at the time and had zero clout in the industry. He may have been threatened by "fixers" who helped cover up the facts to protect Wagner. (They probably also rationalized the coverup was to help Natalie's good reputation and legacy). Walken probably gave his account to police, but since they were involved in the cover up, it's probably still in a filing cabinet somewhere.

My theory of the scenario: Everyone had a lot to drink. Natalie went to bed. Later the others went to bed, too. Natalie and RW got into an argument, she was angry and wanted to get off the boat to get away from RZ. He may have even gotten pushy with her. She put on her down jacket (that she was wearing when found) and went out to demand someone take her to shore, probably in the inflatable boat. RW followed, more arguing. Trying to climb over the boat a scuffle ensued between RW and NW. She fell into the water instead of the boat. Somewhere in the scuffle she got all those bruises on the backs of her legs.

NW starts calling for help, the other two men come out to try to help her, but RW says to leave her alone, she's just being dramatic or something. He probably threatened their jobs, careers, etc. They argue with him, but eventually realize NW has stopped screaming. With the heavy, wet down coat, she probably drowned quickly. They scramble to get her and see she's dead. RW freaks out, calls a "fixer" (usually a powerful attorney in the movie biz) who pulls some strings and gets a plan in place.

The excuse used is, it's a terrible accident, nothing can bring her back, etc. LE, ME, etc. are all paid off to make it look as much like an accident as possible. The story is changed slightly to say everyone else was asleep when she got into the dinghy and fell. I still wonder if some of the bruising on the back of her legs happened when she was pulled back into the boat while trying to get off or if she fell on board the boat and RW dragged her around.

JMO, Walken tried to do what he could to help, but was threatened by RW and the drowning actually happened pretty quickly, before they could convince RW to let them help her. I've always had the perception from him that he was very upset with what happened, but felt he did all he could to help. He may regret not getting physical with RW, but it may not have made any difference. It would have taken two or more people to get her out of the water and back into the boat. It was a big boat that sat high off the water and someone on board would have had to help get them up, esp in the dark.

I really liked him in "The Deer Hunter" and hoped to see him in a lot more movies. He didn't get a lot of good parts for years afterwards (no movie roles from '83 to ,85), probably as a way to pressure him into keeping quiet.

All JMO :twocents:

ETA: I'm also guessing those involved in applying pressure to cover up the real story are very high on the political ladder, possibly even going all the way to the WH at the time. For that reason, some still want to keep this covered up. Not to protect RW, but to avoid tarnishing the reputation of some powerful folks in the cover up. JMO