In life, Natalie Wood was one of Hollywood’s most alluring actresses. She was also one of its most controversial.
The case involving Wood’s 1981 death off the coast of an Island is still open, three decades later. It was reopened after investigators found bruises on her body that may have occurred before she died. Keep reading the article below to learn more about Natalie Wood Death.
Many generations of people have seen Natalie Wood’s movies, but the truth about what happened to her during her last hours is still a mystery. Wood died in a mysterious drowning incident off the coast of Santa Catalina Island, and her husband at that time, actor Robert Wagner, refused to tell investigators what actually happened.
In recent years, new evidence has emerged that seems to support the theory that something other than an accident was involved in her death. One piece of that evidence was the discovery that Wood had a large bruise on her forehead and another on her neck. These fresh bruises were listed in her autopsy report, and they prompted an investigation.
The original investigation was also thrown off by the contradictory accounts of those who were present on the night of Wood’s death. She and Wagner had invited several friends to join them for a trip aboard their boat, the Splendour. However, most of them turned down the offer. In fact, only her Brainstorm costar Christopher Walken and Captain Dennis Davern agreed to go with them that night.
After the three had a champagne-filled dinner at Doug’s Harbor Reef, they boarded their yacht around 10:30 p.m. Davern later told investigators that Wood was flirting with Walken, and he didn’t like it. He also claimed that he heard them fighting that night, though he didn’t want to call the police or report the disappearance of his wife.
Wagner also denied any involvement in Wood’s death. He said that she must have slipped and fallen into the water by accident, but he did not attempt to search for her or call the authorities. He also refused to turn on the boat’s searchlights when he realized she was missing.
After a two-and-a-half-hour search, the body of Wood was found on a beach. The cause of her death was listed as accidental drowning, but it was changed to undetermined causes of death in 2013. This change was based on the fresh bruises that were discovered on her body. It is now believed that these were inflicted before she went into the water.
The Accident
Natalie Wood’s death remains one of Hollywood’s most mysterious. The actress, who was nominated for three Oscars in her career, died in 1981 when she fell overboard from the yacht she was sailing with her husband and two friends. She was found floating face down in the water. The coroner ruled her drowning was accidental, but investigators have been unable to determine what happened that fateful weekend.
She was just 43 when she died. Her career had been on the upswing, with roles in Rebel Without a Cause and West Side Story landing her acting nominations. She was also a devoted wife and mother.
However, in private, the woman was a bit of a loose cannon. The daughter of a Russian immigrant, she tended to play the part of the stereotypical Hollywood stage mother, berating her younger sister and throwing tantrums and fainting fits when she didn’t get her way.
Her relationship with her husband was strained. In his memoir Pieces of My Heart, Wagner claimed that the night before her death, he and Wood had argued, and she went to bed alone while he stayed up drinking. He said that he assumed she had taken their small dinghy on the water as she often did, and when ten to 15 minutes passed, he called Harbor Patrol. The next morning, her body was found at 8am, floating in the water a mile from Splendour and with a small dinghy beached nearby.
The investigation into her death was reopened in 2011 after Dennis Davern, the captain of the yacht, revealed new details about what had happened that night. He claimed that Wood had been flirting with Walken, which caused a jealous Wagner to go insane and send her to her death.
Despite the new information, she was still ruled to have drowned accidentally. The coroner said that he believed she had been drinking, and had somehow slipped while trying to board the dinghy.
The mystery surrounding Wood’s death has never really been resolved, but she continues to live on as one of the greatest stars of Hollywood history. Her beauty and talent shined brightly both on and off the screen, and her larger-than-life persona made her an icon of American glamour.
The Investigation
When a famous Hollywood actress who can’t swim ends up dead in the ocean off of Santa Catalina Island, it’s sure to spark some tabloid speculation and whispers of a deeper story. It was four decades ago, and still the case has yet to be fully resolved.
In 2011, a local criminal law attorney hand-delivered a petition to the LA County coroner asking for the investigation into Wood’s death to be reopened. He claimed that a change in the cause of death from accidental drowning to undetermined factors was made around the 30th anniversary of her death, and he cited significant new evidence that needs to be explored.
The LA County Sheriff’s Department agreed to give the case “one last shot” and reopened it in 2012. The reopening came after new witnesses were identified, allowing investigators to articulate the timeline of events leading up to her death.
Investigators also reexamined some of the old evidence, including the fact that Wood’s blood alcohol level was nearly 0.14. Also, there were several fresh superficial bruises on her arms and legs, which were originally attributed to her falling overboard.
The three men aboard the couple’s yacht at the time of her death – Wagner, Walken, and captain Dennis Davern – initially told detectives that Wood, who was terrified of deep water, left the dinghy after an argument with Wagner. However, the men’s accounts shifted over time, raising suspicions of foul play.
Wood’s daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner, has spoken out on the case in recent years. She claims that she doesn’t believe her mother was murdered. She has also spoken out against the rumors that her father was involved in her mother’s death, a claim that he denies. However, the new evidence presented in the documentary Brainstorm suggests that he did know more about what happened to his wife than he’s let on. It’s unclear whether he will be called in to testify, but the possibility remains.
The Final Words
Wood was a beloved actress who gave many generations of movie-goers some of their best memories. But her untimely death remains shrouded in mystery, even today, more than 30 years later. And there are many people who believe the truth about what happened to the beautiful star may never come out.
Over the years, a multitude of books and television shows have delved into the strange circumstances surrounding her death. The captain of the Splendour, Dennis Davern, has even co-authored a book on the incident. He claimed that Wood and Wagner got into a huge argument after a night of drinking, during which she flirted with actor Christopher Walken.
In addition to the claims by Davern and Walken, there have been other strange occurrences surrounding the case. For example, in 2012, investigators changed the cause of Wood’s death from an accidental drowning to “drowning and other undetermined factors.” They did this after a new witness came forward claiming that they heard cries for help coming from the yacht the night of her death.
Despite this change, detectives are not reopening the investigation and have yet to name Wagner as a suspect. But they have reportedly asked to speak with him as a person of interest.
A new witness has also come forward claiming that she saw Wood screaming as she fell off the boat. According to the witness, Wood was so scared that she ran to a neighbor’s house, yelling that Wagner was going to kill her. The neighbor told the police, who took her to a hospital where she died the next day.
The latest testimony also corroborated the statement by Wood’s sister Lana, who said that the actress had a deep-seated fear of water. She told TMZ that her mother had warned her as a child that she would die by falling into dark water. Lana also claims that she does not believe the account given by Wagner to the police and wants the ‘truth’ to be revealed.
While the circumstances surrounding Natalie Wood’s death will probably always be a mystery, her legacy as an enduring Hollywood icon lives on. She is known for her work in Rebel Without a Cause and West Side Story.
