LANA WOOD: Natalie Wood's death and Robert Wagner's silence

**sweet tea** · February 25th, 2010, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by Novice

i disagree, I read it 20 yrs ago & even then thought is was fairly crap.

I thought it was interesting. I remember the author speculated that Wood almost made it to the shore. As Rollo also mentioned, the coroner said if she had been sober, she probably would've thought to take off the heavy jacket she was wearing. The coroner reported that she was definitely intoxicated. Her jacket was water-logged and contributed to dragging her under.

Apparently she paddled quite a ways before she ran out of steam and drowned.

**HWBL** · March 9th, 2010, 08:01 AM

BUMP

Source: CNN.COM

Sister, yacht captain want Natalie Wood case reopened

By Rupa Mikkilineni, Nancy Grace producer
March 8, 2010 4:22 p.m. EST

New York (CNN) -- Natalie Wood once said in a televised interview that her
greatest fear was of dark seawater. Later, in November 1981, she drowned
in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Catalina Island, California.

The star's drowning death is one of Hollywood's most enduring mysteries.
Although the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office ruled that Wood's death
was an accident, and the sheriff says the case is closed, others say there
are pieces of the puzzle that don't make sense.

The actress' sister, Lana Wood, and the captain of the yacht Natalie Wood
sailed with her husband, actor Robert Wagner, are asking the Los Angeles
County Sheriff's Office to re-open the case. So far, authorities have not
responded to the request.

Lana Wood told CNN that she believes a highly charged argument between
her sister and husband on the yacht's back deck preceded Wood's drowning.
She told CNN she does not suspect foul play.

"I just want the truth to come out, the real story," she said.

Dennis Davern, the former captain of the yacht, "The Splendour," broke
his long silence with a detailed account in "Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye
Splendour," a book he wrote with his friend Marti Rulli. It was published
in September.

Davern also believes Wood's death was a direct result of the fight with
Wagner.

Wood first appeared as a child in "Miracle on 34th Street" and starred
with some of Hollywood's top leading men -- James Dean in "Rebel
Without a Cause" and Warren Beatty in "Splendor in the Grass." She
also starred in "West Side Story."

Wagner's success came later, on television. He starred in two long-running
series, "It Takes a Thief" and "Hart to Hart."

The couple married in 1957, divorced in 1962, then remarried in 1972. They
often sailed their yacht off the coast of California and they invited Wood's
then co-star, Christopher Walken, to join them on a sail on Thanksgiving
weekend, 1981.

Walken and Wood had been filming "Brainstorm" at the time and the
Hollywood rumor mill was abuzz with speculation that Wagner was jealous
over Walken. Walken has not spoken publicly about Wood's drowning, and
authorities have said he witnessed only the events leading up to an
argument between the couple.

Wagner and his representatives did not respond to CNN's request for
comment. But Wagner admitted his jealousy in his book "Pieces of My
Heart, " also published in September. He acknowledged that there had
been a fight with Wood, writing that he smashed a wine bottle on a table.

In a lengthy interview with CNN, Davern said he now believes the
investigation of Wood's death was incompetent and suggested there was
a cover-up. He said he regrets misleading investigators by keeping quiet
at Wagner's request.

After Wagner argued with Walken and broke the wine bottle, Wood left
in disgust and went to her stateroom, Davern told CNN. Walken also
retired to a guest room, Davern added, and Wagner followed his wife to
their room. A few minutes later, Davern said, he could hear the couple
fighting.

Embarrassed, Davern said he turned up the volume on his stereo. At one
point, Davern recalled, he glanced out of the pilot house window and saw
both Wagner and Wood on the yacht's aft deck. "They'd moved their fight
outside ... you could tell from their animated gestures they were still
arguing," he said.

A short time later, Wagner, appearing to be distraught, told Davern he
couldn't find Wood. Davern searched the boat but couldn't find her. He
noticed the rubber dinghy also was missing.

Wagner shrugged and poured them both drinks, Davern said. He
suggested his wife had probably gone off in a temper.

Wagner's story, as told in his book, differs from Davern's. He maintains
that after the argument with Walken, Wood went to her room and
prepared for bed while he and Walken sat on the deck, cooling off.

Wagner writes that he went to check on Wood, but she wasn't there.
He maintains that he and Davern searched the boat and noticed the
dinghy was missing. Wagner wrote that he assumed his wife had gone
ashore on her own.

He radioed the restaurant on shore where they'd had dinner and called
the harbor master to see if anyone had seen Wood.

Detective Duane Rasure, the lead investigator for the Los Angeles County
Sheriff's Office, confirmed that Wagner notified the harbor master that
his wife was missing.

But Davern claims those phone calls did not happen immediately. The
harbor master at the time, Doug Odin, told CNN he was contacted around
1:30 a.m. He summoned the U.S. Coast Guard, which arrived to begin a
daylight search at 5 a.m.

Lt. Roger Smith, a lifeguard with the Los Angeles Fire County Department,
questioned Wagner about the delay in summoning help. Wagner said he
assumed Wood was "probably just party-hopping on other boats, that's
the kind of woman she is ... and I want to keep this out of the public,"
Smith told CNN.

Wood's body was found floating in the water about a mile away from the
yacht. Investigator Rasure said the official theory is that Wood was
awakened by the sound of the dinghy hitting the side of their yacht.
Police believe she went to re-tie the dinghy but slipped on the boat's
swim step and fell into the water.

The dinghy was found about a mile away from the yacht -- and from
where Wood's body was found. "It seems she might have hung onto
the dinghy but then got separated from it," Smith said.

According to police reports, Wood was found wearing a long nightgown,
socks, and a down jacket.

Rasure told CNN he believes Wood was dragged underwater by her
jacket. "She was such a little thing," he said.

The autopsy report shows Wood had two dozen bruises on her body,
including a facial abrasion on her left cheek, and bruises on her arms.
Rasure said he believes the injuries were sustained from falling overboard
and struggling in the water.

"My sister was not a swimmer and did not know how to swim, and she
would never go to another boat or to shore dressed in a nightgown and
socks," said Lana Wood. She said she believes Davern.

"He was a close family confidant and trusted friend to my sister. He is
not a liar," she told CNN.

She said that when she learned her sister was dead, she went immediately
to the house to see Wagner. "Robert was laying on their bed, devastated
and when I walked into their bedroom he looked up at me crying and
whispered, 'It was an accident, you have to believe me, it was an accident.' "

She added, "I don't think R.J. ever got over Natalie's death. She was the
love of his life."

**sputnik** · March 9th, 2010, 08:50 AM

it's over. she's dead. deal with it.
it's not like they're going to find anything out anyway, even if they do re-open the case.

**McJag** · March 9th, 2010, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by sputnik

it's over. she's dead. deal with it.
it's not like they're going to find anything out anyway, even if they do re-open the case.

That's what I'm thinking. That ship already sailed...so to speak.

**rollo** · March 9th, 2010, 12:53 PM

I don't know. She died and Robert Wagner won't speak. If it was an accident, he shouldn't worry about setting the record straight for her relatives. Since he won't speak, it looks suspicious.

**sputnik** · March 9th, 2010, 12:55 PM

^^^
yeah but what are they going to do? any possible 'proof' washed away years ago. some mysteries are never solved and people just have to move on with their lives.

**iamnoone** · March 9th, 2010, 01:54 PM

I've always loved Robert Wagner, He's always seemed such a nice guy I'd heard he has the best reputation out there but I don't honestly know if thats right. that being said there was always something reeeeally fishy about this whole tragedy. the story that was put out to the public just did NOT hang together. I've always believed it was a terrible terrible accident. I do not believe Natalie was murdered. What Thomas Noguchi thought happened was this (if I remember correctly) that she & RJ had a horrendous fight over christopher walken, she was very upset had been drinking (not drunk ) and went to bed. some point in the night she heard the dingy banging against the boat and it was keeping her awake, so she put a lifejacket on (socks & nightgown) and went to try to fasten it to the boat so it didn't bang against the hull. she slipped in the water and didn't panic and there was conjecture in his book that she kept trying to get at the dingy, and because it was dark, and with the tides being as they were that night, she didn't realize how far she was drifting. THAT made sense. at least to me. edit crappy english so the fractured syntax was less fractured. LOL

**Murphee** · March 13th, 2010, 06:20 AM

Originally Posted by Lily Bleu

Screw you Lana! You always lived on Natalie's coat tails. You never made anything of yourself..What a loser.

Rest in Peace Natalie

Well, at least she didn't apparently try to hire a hitman with another actor (hint: Shaken or stirred?) to bump off a friend (another actor's) wife.

**buttmunch** · March 13th, 2010, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by Fancynancy

she was not a "middle-aged drunk", she was an actress trying to get back into the game. She stopped working to give her daughters the time they needed until they didn't need her every second. Lots of women do that and then return to work. It ened up a terrible situation because everyone had too much to drink, and Natalie was not drunk when she went into the water.

I'm sorry but were you there? And I don't think she took time off to look after her kids. She was still making movies, they just kind of sucked.

Aa far as reopening the case, they need to drop it. They even say there wasn't foul play and seriously, I doubt he wants to talk about any argument he may have had with his wife about her somewhat loose ways.

**Novice** · March 13th, 2010, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by iamnoone

I've always loved Robert Wagner, He's always seemed such a nice guy I'd heard he has the best reputation out there but I don't honestly know if thats right. that being said there was always something reeeeally fishy about this whole tragedy. the story that was put out to the public just did NOT hang together. I've always believed it was a terrible terrible accident. I do not believe Natalie was murdered. What Thomas Noguchi thought happened was this (if I remember correctly) that she & RJ had a horrendous fight over christopher walken, she was very upset had been drinking (not drunk ) and went to bed. some point in the night she heard the dingy banging against the boat and it was keeping her awake, so she put a lifejacket on (socks & nightgown) and went to try to fasten it to the boat so it didn't bang against the hull. she slipped in the water and didn't panic and there was conjecture in his book that she kept trying to get at the dingy, and because it was dark, and with the tides being as they were that night, she didn't realize how far she was drifting. THAT made sense. at least to me. edit crappy english so the fractured syntax was less fractured. LOL

Only ONE small problem with this theory...

Natalie Wood was hydrophobic, or had a fear of water; this was especially disturbing and raised some questions because she drowned in an apparent boating accident in 1981.

**immature** · November 17th, 2011, 07:58 PM

I know this is an old thread but I didn't want to start a new one just to post this bit of news:

Natalie Wood Death Investigation Reopened

by Kimberly Nordyke

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Thursday that it is taking "another look at the case" after receiving additional information about her 1981 drowning.

In a shocking development, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Thursday that it's reopening its case in the death of actress Natalie Wood.

Wood died in 1981 at age 43 while boating off Santa Catalina Island, off the Southern California shore. At the time, her death was ruled an accidental drowning, but there have been many questions raised about what actually happened on the boat in the time since.

 "Recently, sheriff’s homicide investigators were contacted by persons who stated they had additional information about the Natalie Wood Wagner drowning," the department said, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. "Due to the additional information, Sheriff’s homicide bureau has decided to take another look at the case."

On the night of Nov. 29, 1981, Wood and her then-husband Robert Wagner went boating with Christopher Walken. The trio had dinner and drinks at Doug's Harbor Reef and then continued drinking aboard the boat, where Wagner and Walken began arguing.

During the argument, Wood went to bed, and when Wagner came down to say goodnight, she was gone.

Speculation has it that the dinghy came loose, and she went up on deck to tie it back.

Wagner has said he blames himself for the incident.
"Did I blame myself? If I'd been there, I could have done something," he told the U.K.'s Daily Mail in 2009. "I wasn't, but ultimately, a man is responsible for his loved one. Yes, I blamed myself. I would have done anything in the world to protect her. Anything. I lost a woman I loved with all my heart, not once but twice, and I will never completely come to terms with that."