Back in 2011, we learned that the investigation into Natalie Wood’s 1981 death was being reopened. I’m actually not a true-crime person, much less a celebrity-true-crime person, but even I am morbidly fascinated by the details and new evidence/testimony/statements about Wood’s death. It’s incredibly macabre, I know, but WTF happened to this poor woman? For those of you who need a recap, Natalie Wood was widely considered one of the most beautiful women in the world, a child actress who transitioned to a well-respected and award-winning adult career actress.
For all of her beauty and talent, Natalie’s private life was pretty messy and/or tragic, and it was widely believed that she had been abused by multiple men over her life and career. In 1981, she was 43 years old and she had been married to Robert Wagner for nine years. Natalie, Wagner and Natalie’s then-costar Christopher Walken were staying on a yacht off Catalina Island. Something happened on the boat – no one knows what. Wood’s body was recovered in the water the next day. There were always rumors and whispers about Wagner and whether he pushed her or threw her into the water. Did I mention that she was terrified of water? She had a fear of drowning. She couldn’t even swim. And now Wagner is being considered a “person of interest.”
Nearly 40 years after Natalie Wood died under mysterious circumstances, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s investigators say her widower Robert Wagner is a person of interest in the case.
“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 said in an upcoming interview with CBS’ 48 Hours. “I mean, we know now that he was the last person to be with Natalie before she disappeared.”
Wagner’s attorney didn’t immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. The Hollywood starlet was married to Wagner from 1972 until her death. Wood died on Nov. 29, 1981, off of Catalina Island in California. The incident happened while the 43-year-old actress was sailing with her husband on their yacht, Splendour. Christopher Walken, Wood’s then-costar in the movie Brainstorm, and the boat’s captain, Dennis Davern, were also on board.
At the time, her death was classified as an accidental drowning, but the case was reopened in 2011. Wagner has refused to speak with investigators since they began to look into the circumstances surrounding Wood’s death again.
“I haven’t seen him tell the details that match all the other witnesses in this case,” Corina said of Wagner. “I think he’s constantly changed his story a little bit. And his version of events just don’t add up.”
Detectives who spoke with 48 Hours noted that there were numerous bruises on Wood’s body that appeared to be new, according to her autopsy report.
“She looked like a victim of an assault,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Detective Ralph Hernandez. When asked if Wood’s death was a murder rather than a tragic accident, Corina said, “I think it’s suspicious enough to make us think that something happened.”
Previously, the captain gave statements where he said he always believed that Wagner did something to Wood. Wagner also admitted that he, Walken and Wood had gotten into a massive fight that night. So… yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know why all of this wasn’t investigated at the time. I don’t know why investigators took one look at her body and were like “accidental death, case closed!” But here we are.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
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