Natalie Wood: Homicide Victim?

[Luv2play]

I can't say I was surprised that the LAPD has reopened its investigation into the circumstances surrounding Natalie Wood's death 30 years ago. The explanation given at the time that she had fallen in the water dressed in her nightclothes with a jacket on top, apparently in an effort to secure a dingy to their yacht, seemed unconvincing.

 

This was because she had a life-long morbid fear of dark water and had had many nightmares of drowning all her life. The fact that this is how she met her end seemed altogether too bizarre, something out of Hitchcock. I learned of this when I read a book about Eli Kazan's life and work. He recounted the problems they had when they had to shoot the scene of Natalie throwing herself in the water at night in the film Splendour in the Grass.

 

Now that the yacht's captain has come forward and alleged that Natalie and Robert Wagner had had a loud argument that night in their stateroom. Wagner had smashed a bottle of wine in an argument about their guest the actor Christopher Walken. In reopening the investigation, the LA police have not cited any suspect. But if there is any suspect, the finger is pointing to Wagner, who claimed at the time that the last time he saw her was through a door as she was brushing her hair before retiring. No mention of any argument they had after she had retired to her room.

 

How they are going to find any physical evidence at this point is unclear. The boat Splendour is apparently in Hawaii but after 30 years is unlikely to yield any clues. Maybe Wagner should be given a lie detector test although I don't know what their status is in California's legal system.

.

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[Epigonos]

It is actually the Los Angeles Sheriffs that have re-opened the case not the L.A Police Department. The L.A. Sheriff, Lee Baca, has all sorts of problems, both personal and departmental, and many, myself included, believe that this re-opening of the case is an attempt on his part to distract attention away from himself. The captain has a book about to be released and all this publicity certainly won't hurt sales.

Frankly I think the whole thing is nonsense. They were all drunk that night and fighting like cats and dogs. When interviewed, at that time, they couldn't remember much of anything. What makes people think that thirty years later their memories will have improved. Fortunately for the captain the statues of limitations for lying to the original investigators has lapsed thus he can say what ever he wants and not have to face prosecution.

[Luv2play]

My understanding is that the statute of limitations does not apply to a murder case and if Wagner lied, not the captain, then he is still liable to legal action.

[+ glutes]

Epi, do Baca's personal problems extend beyond the jail abuse scandal??

[instudiocity]

My understanding is that the statute of limitations does not apply to a murder case and if Wagner lied, not the captain, then he is still liable to legal action.

 

Well, there's lying to an official investigator and then there's the commission of the crime of murder. For the latter, there is no statue of limitations.

 

But the question is did the captain lie 30 years ago and then come clean in a book to be released soon, or did he obfucate 30 years ago and now is coming cleaner?

[Epigonos]

Glutes the answer to your question is yes. If you would like more specifics private me.

 

Wagner certainly hasn't changed his story thus far and isn't likely to do so. The only one talking and writing at this point is the captain. He certainly doesn't appear to be the most creditable individual involved in the case especially now that he has a book to sell.

[JT Brooklyn]

The Demise of Natalie Wood as the Demise of the "Black Dahlia" will always remain a mystery as neither "Wagner nor Walkin" will ever fess up to the real truth!

 

Unless of course one passes they are both Senior Citizens now and the Surviving Person on that boat decides to write a book!

[+ deej]

Just to bring everyone up to date... the Sheriff's department has declared that Wagner is NOT a suspect in the reopened investigation. Walken has lawyered up.

 

I agree with Epigonos. This is all about Lee Baca.

[Luv2play]

You're late with the news. Mr. Baca stated at the news conference last week that Wagner was not a suspect. In my view, this is meaningless. I suspect he is under 24 hour surveillance and that his phone and other means of communication have been bugged.

 

In the scenario, which is totally hypothetical at this time, that he was the jealous husband, he certainly was more likely to be the one who struck his wife, not the suspected lover. Of course, the other man may have had his own reasons to keep mum when he saw what had transpired. The human mind works in strange ways.

[Luv2play]

The Demise of Natalie Wood as the Demise of the "Black Dahlia" will always remain a mystery QUOTE]

 

Going back further than the Black Dahlia, the Ice Cream Blonde's (Thelma Todd) murder, was also never solved. If I bothered to think about it, there are other sensational Hollywood murders that were never solved. Some say Marilyn Monroe was also murdered, a theory I tend to believe.

 

I personally think that when the LA police are confronted by an sensational death of a Hollywood celebrity, all the usual procedures for investigation are thrown out. The power of the studios, the wealth of the victims and any suspects, and all the vested interests of the Hollywood machine go into action. The poor, underpaid gumshoes of Los Angeles, brought up in the shadow of all this power and prestige, simply don't measure up to the mark.

 

I don't know anything about this Mr Baca but I assume he would never be invited for lunch or dinner, even drinks, with Mr. Wagner or his Hollywood pals.

[Poolboy21409]

Who the hell cares!!

[bigvalboy]

Who the hell cares!!

 

 

Thank you poolboy..thirty years is along time ago and nothing is going to change this situation...put it to bed..unless of course someone is trying to push a book.

[Luv2play]

Who the hell cares!!

 

Why do you bother making such a puerile comment when it is obvious you have nothing else to say?

[jgoo]

Just an update for anyone interested: "The Los Angeles County sheriff’s office has uncovered no new evidence in the death of Natalie Wood to suggest that her demise was anything but an accident, a top official said yesterday."

 

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2012/01/11/no-foul-play-uncovered-in-1981-death-of-actress.html

[+ FreshFluff]

Just an update for anyone interested: "The Los Angeles County sheriff’s office has uncovered no new evidence in the death of Natalie Wood to suggest that her demise was anything but an accident, a top official said yesterday."

 

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/national_world/2012/01/11/no-foul-play-uncovered-in-1981-death-of-actress.html

 

I guess the sheriff realized this is a non-starter--not because Wood wasn't murdered, but because the likelihood of convicting Walken after 30 years is nil. Poor Natalie.

[+ WilliamM]

I have a friend who sometimes moors his yacht close to Avalon. I assume that's where the yacht was that night, because people in other yachts closeby apparently heard loud arguments between Wood & Wagner and probably Walken. It's such a busy location on normal days and nights. The frustration is that the night Wood died was dark and dreary, and most people close to the Wood/Wagner vacht probably called it a night earlier than usual.