Natalie Wood Drowning 30 Years Later: Details from Autopsy Report; Investigation Reopened by Homicide

The ghost of the Dark Age of Hollywood Homicide is rearing its dreadful head as murder plays on public lips since the Los Angeles Sheriff's Office (LASO) announced on November 17 2011 the reopening of its investigation into the drowning death thirty years ago of screen goddess Natalie Wood Wagner, age 43--publicizing the announcement with a press conference on Friday November 18 fronted by LASO detective Lieutenant John Corina, who summarized the case and indicated the investigation is being conducted (once again) by the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau. New DNA technology may be used.

In one of his statements, Lt. Corina said, "Recently, we have received information, which we felt was substantial, enough to make us take another look at this case." He said the death was still considered 'accidental and an accidental drowning' and that the ruling will not change unless the investigation 'points to something else'. When asked by a reporter if Robert Wagner, Wood's husband, was a suspect, the detective stated, "No."

Some circumstances surrounding the drowning are clear. According to homicide Detective Morck on the autopsy report for Natalie Wood, the film actress and her husband, television actor Robert (RJ) Wagner, were spending the Thanksgiving weekend on their yacht, Splendour, with Wood's then co-star Christopher Walken in the film Brainstorm--the yacht was moored off Isthmus Cove, Santa Catalina Island.

On the Saturday evening of November 28, the fellow actors--along with the yacht's caretaker and skipper, Dennis Davern--spent time ashore at Doug's Harbor Reef drinking in the bar before dining in the restaurant and continuing to drink. According to the night manager, Doug Whiting, the foursome left the restaurant between 10p.m. and 10:30p.m. to return to the Splendour in the Splendour's thirteen-foot dinghy.

What happened after the party of four reached the Splendour is the onset of a mystery as darkly obscure as the ocean bottom, arising from conflicting accounts given by the Wagner and Davern. Wagner said he and Walken had a heated argument; Davern told police he hadn't heard an argument--a self-confessed lie that Davern recently supplanted with a sworn statement to homicide detectives that Wagner and Wood argued. Sometime afterwards, Wood disappeared.

In the Sheriff's press conference, Det. Lt. Corina stated, "Sometime in the morning of November 29, Miss Wood somehow ended up in the water--and drowned." Wagner has maintained his wife was trying to secure the dinghy to the yacht. The LA County Coroner's Office reported that Wood was 'possibly attempting to board the dinghy and had fallen into the water, striking her face'. Scratches from Wood's fingernails marked a side of the dinghy. However, the autopsy report shows that nail clippings and scrapings were not taken. (For a reconstruction of the drowning, click here.)

The report states that Wagner said he last saw his wife at about 11:45p.m. and that when he realized she was missing, he radioed the area for help. Doug Whiting said the radio call came in at about 1:30a.m.--he heard it while on his houseboat. He sent a friend to the Wagner's yacht to assess the situation.

At some point afterwards, it was verified that Wood and the dinghy were missing from the Splendour. Several parties were alerted and began searching for her--Harbor Patrol, Bay Watch, LASO, U.S. Coast Guard, and private searchers. The autopsy report does not state what time the search began. However, lifeguard Roger Smith recently told the LA Times he was not alerted until 5:11a.m.

According to the autopsy report, Wood's body was found at 7:44a.m. by LA County Life Guards, via helicopter. The decedent was floating facedown in the Pacific Ocean about 200 yards off Blue Cavern Point about a mile from the Splendour and north of where dinghy was found a couple of hours earlier. Doug Whiting, who found the dinghy, said it seemed unused--the gear was in neutral, the ignition key was in the off position; the oars were tied down. Splendour skipper Davern identified the body.

Wood's body--clad in a red down jacket over a flannel-like nightgown, her feet in wool socks--'was absent of any rigor'. Her face bore superficial abrasions on the left side; her body bore scratches--some deep ones--and superficial skin bruises on the extremities, all of which the autopsy report states were 'probably sustained at the time of drowning'. The autopsy report concluded that the collective findings were consistent with 'drowning in the ocean'.

The Double-Edged Tragedy of Natalie Wood's Drowning. Deepening Wood's tragedy was the common knowledge that she had feared 'deep dark water' and that she might die by drowning. Secondly and even more heartrending was the possibility she might have been saved. A woman from a yacht neighboring Splendour heard cries for help and a man's voice responding, relaxed and slurred. She claims she received a threatening letter a few days later to keep quiet about what she knew.

Dr. Thomas Noguchi, Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner. Dr. Thomas Noguchi presided over Wood's autopsy. Known as 'the coroner to the stars' during what became known as the Dark Age of Hollywood Homicide, he was the coroner for Marilyn Monroe, Robert Kennedy, Sharon Tate, and William Holden, among other celebrities. His autopsies were frequently criticized--by his superiors and peers. His rulings were sometimes controversial--for example, his ruling of suicide for Marilyn Monroe, based on an autopsy that was less than thorough under the circumstances.

Dr. Noguchi reputedly was a publicity seeker who worked more with the news media than with investigators--and gave out information not yet fully investigated. Noguchi was suspended from his top position in 1982, for several weighty reasons, including this one: "Dr. Noguchi demonstrated poor judgment in public statements regarding celebrity deaths."

Dennis Davern, Splendour skipper and caretaker. Dennis Davern is the co-author of Marti Rulli on the book Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour, published in September 2009. Based on their research and Davern's personal experience on the night of Wood's death, the co-authors state in their book that the original investigation was insufficient. To read their account, click here.