Star Natalie Wood drowned under mysterious circumstances in a cove near her husband’s yacht on Thanksgiving weekend in 1981. Many people, including her daughter Natasha Gregson Wagner, suspect her stepfather Robert Wagner of murdering her.
In 2011, the case was reopened when an employee of Wood and her husband’s yacht wrote a book revealing that he heard the couple arguing. Keep reading the article below to learn more about Natalie Wood Murder.
In November 1981, Natalie Wood, the star of such films as Miracle on 34th Street, Rebel Without a Cause and West Side Story, was found dead in the Pacific Ocean off Catalina Island at age 43. The case was initially classified as an accident, but investigators have never been satisfied with that explanation. For 40 years, rumors and speculation have swirled around the actress’s death, with many questioning whether she was murdered.
Several red flags popped up in the investigation, including discrepancies between what Wagner, Brainstorm co-star Christopher Walken and the yacht’s captain, Dennis Davern, told detectives about what happened before the night Wood died. For example, Walken’s recollection of a passionate argument between him and Wagner differed from Wagner’s initial statement to police.
The bruises on Wood’s body also raised eyebrows, as did her sudden disappearance from the yacht. One theory is that she got up in the middle of the night to retie a banging Zodiac dinghy outside her room, fell and hit her head before ending up in the water. The bruises were fresh, but the cause of death was ultimately reclassified as drowning due to undetermined factors.
But what if those bruises weren’t accidental? In this book, author Sam Perroni explores the evidence to determine if Natalie Wood was indeed the victim of a murder. He reveals that the original investigator, Peter Pitchess, was friends with Frank Sinatra and his crew of Hollywood fixers—and that their cozy relationship may have tainted the case.
Perroni interviews experts in forensic science, including the former chief medical examiner for the state of Rhode Island, who discusses the likely cause and timing of unexplained bruising on Wood’s legs; the possible origin of a large right forearm contusion, which she describes as a defensive wound; and the cause and timing of a scratch to the throat. The book’s findings add up to a strong circumstantial case against Wagner and others. However, it’s up to the surviving members of Wood’s family to decide what they believe happened to their sister. And the answer to that question could have repercussions that extend far beyond Hollywood.
The Case Reopened
In 2011, police reopened the investigation after Dennis Davern, who co-starred with Wood in the film Brainstorm and was captain of her yacht at the time of her death, wrote a book that detailed his claim that he heard the pair argue on the yacht before she disappeared. Police also noted that her body was covered in fresh bruises. They named Wagner, now 91, as a person of interest in the case.
Investigators told reporters that they had received more than 100 tips since the case was reopened, but no major new leads had been found. They were hoping that the renewed attention to the case would spur more people to come forward with information.
Detectives held a news conference to discuss recent details in the Natalie Wood murder case. They said that they had gotten more than 100 calls from the public, and that some of those contacts had provided information that helped articulate the timeline of events in the hours leading up to Wood’s death. They had also gathered additional witness statements that contradicted what was reported in the initial investigation.
At the time of her death, Wood was 43 and an Oscar-winning actress who had starred in movies such as Miracle on 34th Street and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Her other films included West Side Story, Splendor in the Grass, and Rebel Without a Cause.
Initially, authorities ruled her death as an accident, saying that she had slipped while getting into the dinghy and drowned. They also said that she had been drinking at the time of her death. But some people have questioned that conclusion, pointing out that she was not a strong swimmer and had a fear of deep water. Plus, her dinghy had been loose and was drifting away from the yacht when she was seen last.
The Los Angeles County sheriff’s department reopened the case in 2011, and the coroner’s office changed the cause of death to “drowning and other undetermined factors.” In 2018, police made Wagner a person of interest in the case again, but they have not uncovered any evidence that shows foul play.
The Coroner’s Report
In 1981, Natalie Wood was one of Hollywood’s most alluring actresses. She starred in classics like Miracle on 34th Street, Rebel Without a Cause, and West Side Story. But she also struggled with insecurity and depression. Her parents were Russian immigrants and she felt pressure to live up to family expectations. She was married to actor Robert Wagner, who became a well-known director. Their marriage was stormy and he often left her.
It was on Thanksgiving weekend that year that Wood disappeared off the coast of Santa Catalina Island. A few days later, her body was found in the water. She had bruises on her arms and body. The coroner ruled her death accidental. But a new investigation into her death has uncovered stunning evidence that may finally reveal what really happened to Natalie Wood on the night of her demise.
The original case was closed after investigators could not determine what caused the bruises on her body or how she slipped off the boat. Then, in 2011, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reopened the case after Davern admitted lying to investigators when questioned about Wood’s disappearance. He claimed that he heard the couple argue and Wagner push her into the water. He later published a memoir claiming that he was afraid of losing his job and didn’t report the incident to police.
A coroner’s report in 2013 stopped short of calling the death a homicide, saying that key pieces of evidence were missing. In addition, detectives questioned the credibility of Davern’s story and a new witness has stepped forward to say that Wagner knew more than he’d previously let on.
This new book examines the evidence that suggests foul play was involved in the actress’s death and reveals why the initial police investigation failed to uncover it. It is the most far-reaching and in-depth examination of the case to date. The book also reveals how corruption within the LA County sheriff’s office impacted the investigation. This includes the sheriff’s close relationship to Frank Sinatra and other Hollywood fixers who came to his aid.
The Final Words
As a movie star, Natalie Wood was a dazzling symbol of beauty and talent, whose career blossomed into a string of iconic roles. But as the world woke up to her tragic death at age 43, questions were raised about what really happened on November 21, 1981.
Everyone agreed that her death was a tragedy, but many doubted the official verdict of accidental drowning and hypothermia. After a medical examiner found alcohol and two types of painkillers in her system, the coroner changed the cause of death to “drowning and other undetermined factors.”
Even then, skeptics pointed out that Wood could not swim, was terrified of water and had been wearing a mermaid costume when she disappeared. Her sister Lana also noted that Natalie was afraid to be near water her whole life and remained so until the end of her life.
After the case reopened, a new witness came forward with an extraordinary account. A former neighbor who was 12 at the time recalled hearing a woman scream late one night from her house, saying that Wagner would kill her.
A friend of the couple, islander Doug Bombard, heard this call and immediately jumped in his boat to join the search. Bombard recalls seeing a red object bobbing in the ocean that he believed to be Natalie’s body, but he did not see her face.
When the Coast Guard was called, the crew discovered Natalie’s body floating in the ocean about three hours after she had been reported missing. The autopsy revealed that she was severely dehydrated and had a blood alcohol level of 0.14, which is more than double the legal driving limit.
In Natalie Wood Murder, author Sam Perroni approaches the case like an actual criminal investigation, methodically building a case with credible evidence that allows readers to decide if the actress’s death was a homicide. He dissects the never-before-seen official probate file for Wood’s estate and reveals an astonishing trail of inconsistencies that expose Wagner’s consciousness of guilt – “guilty knowledge.” He shows how a well-connected sheriff’s deputy named Peter Pitchess, who had a cozy relationship with Frank Sinatra, used his influence to help cover up a murder conspiracy.