The mysterious drowning of actress Natalie Wood off the coast of California’s Catalina Island in November 1981 has become one of Hollywood’s most controversial unsolved mysteries. Varying accounts from her husband Robert Wagner, co-star Christopher Walken and boat captain Dennis Davern have fueled decades of speculation about what really happened. Keep reading the article below to learn more about Who Killed Natalie Wood.
The man at the center of this case was a Hollywood icon whose career began with a role in a John Wayne movie. He went on to become a major star in his own right, both as a lead actor and producer of films. He had a large and loyal following. He also had a personal life that was not without its difficulties. He married twice, and he had a daughter with one of his ex-wives. His other marriage ended with a divorce.
After his second divorce, Wagner fell back in love with Wood. They married for a third time. He had a newfound stability in his professional life, and he was becoming an important part of the development of television. He worked with such stars as Steve McQueen, Peter Sellers, Sophia Loren, and David Niven. He even had a brief run in the real estate business with his partner.
Despite the fact that he was an important part of old Hollywood, Wagner had his problems in his private life. He had trouble with his children, and he had issues with his ex-wives. He even cheated on his wife with his secretary. Nevertheless, he never lost sight of his goal of being an actor.
After Wood’s death, the question arose of whether foul play had played a role in her death. The conclusion reached by the coroner was that she drowned after slipping from her dinghy and falling into the water. However, this conclusion did not sit well with two people: the actress’ sister, Lana, and the yacht’s skipper, Dennis Davern.
The question of why Wood would take off in a dinghy on a stormy night is still the subject of speculation, and it remains a mystery. The bruising on her body and arms was also suspicious. But even if it was an accident, Wagner’s negligence in leaving her unattended and intoxicated in the dinghy on a dark night was disturbing. In addition, he was not the first to realize that she had gone overboard.
Christopher Walken
There are few Hollywood mysteries more enduring than the death of Natalie Wood in 1981 off the coast of Catalina Island. The Academy Award winner was on a yacht trip with husband Robert Wagner and actor Christopher Walken, who had recently co-starred with her in the movie Brainstorm. The three men had been drinking heavily.
It was a stormy night. The boat was moored off the coast of Catalina Island. There were no other guests. According to Dennis Davern, the skipper of the boat, Wood had been arguing with Walken over her acting career. The argument became heated, and she went to her cabin to escape the tension. She didn’t come back out, and when Davern went looking for her, he found her body floating in the water in her nightgown, socks, and down jacket.
The medical examiner ruled her death accidental drowning. However, the book reveals that there were numerous bruises on her body, which should have raised red flags for the original investigators. In addition, there are claims by anonymous witnesses that the bruises were not consistent with an accident. The book also uncovers attempts by Wagner, Walken, and Davern to distance themselves from the blame with magazine interviews and books that were designed to shore up their ever-changing stories.
In the months leading up to her death, Wood was battling drug addiction and mental illness. Her erratic behavior was caused by her deep-seated fears, including the fear of being alone at night. She had a history of depression and had tried to commit suicide several times. She was also a practicing witch, and her spells were often unsuccessful.
Despite her struggles, Wood was determined to stay in her career. Her last film, the sci-fi movie Brainstorm, was still in production when she died. The film would go on to become one of the most critically acclaimed films of its time.
Dennis Davern
The cause of the actress’s death was determined to be drowning. She was found in the water at 7:45 a.m. on November 29, 1981. The actor had spent the night drinking on a yacht with fellow actor Christopher Walken and Davern, who was captaining the ship.
According to police, the four of them got into a fight. Police say that Wagner was upset with Walken because he believed that he had told Wood about an affair he was having with another woman. Wagner then threatened to kill Walken.
As a result of the argument, Davern smashed a bottle of wine on the yacht’s back deck. This angered Wagner and he followed the couple into their staterooms where they continued to argue. The three men then went to sleep in separate rooms. The next morning, Davern woke up to discover that Wood had disappeared from the yacht. Police have made ten attempts to interview Wagner about the incident, but he has refused to speak to them. Police Lt. John Corina and Detective Ralph Hernandez are hoping that new witnesses will come forward with information about what happened to Natalie Wood.
After the conclusion of the initial investigation into the actress’s death, Dennis Davern became convinced that foul play was involved and he wrote a book with Marti Rulli about what he witnessed that night. He was also a host on the radio show “Morning Megyn” and claimed to have spoken to several people who witnessed what occurred on the boat.
He claims that he has evidence that Wagner had something to do with her death and that he lied during the original investigation. According to 48 Hours, he has sold his information to tabloids over the years but says he is now doing it out of conscience and not for money.
He also believes that the Los Angeles County sheriff’s department had a cozy relationship with Frank Sinatra and other Hollywood “fixers” in 1981. Those connections may have played a role in the investigation’s outcome. According to Rulli, there are numerous bruises on Wood’s body that point to an assault.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
The mystery surrounding Natalie Wood’s death has never gone away. Even after four decades, people are still curious about the actress’s nighttime demise in chilly waters off the coast of Southern California. At the time, she was one of Hollywood’s hottest stars and the case had all the makings of a classic drama: love, sex, scandal, jealousy, and violence.
The book examines the evidence that has been presented over the years. It also discusses the attempts by Wagner, Walken, and Davern to distance themselves from blame for her death with magazine interviews and books intended to shore up their ever-changing stories. The author also exposes a series of inconsistencies and discrepancies in the police investigation of the incident.
In the weeks and months after Natalie Wood’s death, her family struggled to come to terms with the tragedy. They tried to move on with their lives and remarried, but their pain was never completely healed. They also fought over custody of her daughter.
For decades, the cause of Wood’s death was considered to be accidental drowning. But the reopening of the case in 2011 and a change in the coroner’s report have raised suspicions of foul play. Fresh bruises and scratches on her body indicate that she was assaulted before she died.
Detective Duane Razier and Pamela Eaker, an experienced death investigator, conducted the initial examination of the body. They only made a cursory examination and didn’t notice the bruising on her knees because she was wearing a short nightgown. They also didn’t examine her rear or note foam coming from her mouth, which is typical of a drowning.
Razier and Eaker also ignored evidence that showed a sex drive behind the death. It was also revealed that Natalie had suffered psychological damage that left her in a fragile state, and she frequently sought psychoanalysis and feared being alone at night. Her greatest fear, he found, stemmed from a prophecy told to her by a Gypsy fortune-teller.
The book also explores the questionable police investigation of Wood’s death and reveals eye-opening facts about the lead detective’s role in the case. It also discloses a confidential memorandum from boating expert Paul Miller that sheds light on the investigation. It also exposes the fact that the LA County Sheriff’s Department possesses Natalie Wood’s autopsy photos and has fought to reveal them to the author.