Natalie Wood’s Death: A Tragic and Unsolved Mystery
Natalie Wood, a celebrated actress known for her iconic role in Rebel Without a Cause, met a tragic end on November 29, 1981. Her body was found floating in the water near California’s Catalina Island, marking the end of a life that had been marked by both brilliance and controversy.
The Night of the Incident
On Thanksgiving weekend in 1981, Wood, along with her husband Robert “R.J.” Wagner, actor Christopher Walken, and their longtime skipper Dennis Davern, set sail on their 60-foot yacht, the Splendour. The group had dinner and drinks on land before returning to the yacht around 10 p.m. According to Wagner’s memoir, Pieces of My Heart, he had a confrontation with Walken after he made comments about Wood’s career. During this time, Wood reportedly disappeared from the yacht.
Wagner claimed he had seen Wood go to bed prior to the argument. However, when he returned later that night, she was nowhere to be found. He also noticed that the yacht’s dinghy was missing. Although it would have been unusual for Wood to take the dinghy out at such a late hour, Wagner initially thought she might have gone to land to escape the conflict.
The Search and Discovery
After an extensive search, the dinghy was found at 5:30 a.m. in an isolated cove. It was in neutral and turned off, but Wood was not on board. Two hours later, her body was discovered. She was wearing a red parka over a nightgown and had bruising on her arms and legs, as well as an abrasion on her cheek. Her blood alcohol content was 0.14%.
The coroner, Dr. Thomas Noguchi, initially ruled the death an “accidental drowning.” He theorized that Wood had accidentally fallen into the water and tried to climb into the dinghy. Based on fingernail scratch marks on the boat, he believed she had clung to its side but was weighed down by her waterlogged parka and eventually drowned due to exhaustion and hypothermia.
The Investigation and New Leads
Despite the initial ruling, the case remained controversial. In 2011, Davern came forward with new information about an alleged fight between Wood and Wagner moments before her death. This led to the investigation being reopened. At one point, Wagner was considered a person of interest, but in May 2022, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department cleared him of involvement.
“All leads in the Natalie Wood case have been exhausted, and the case remains an open, unsolved case,” Lieutenant Hugo Reynaga stated at the time. “If additional leads surface in the future, which have not already been investigated, the case will be reassigned to a detective to investigate the new leads.”
Final Moments and Conflicting Accounts
Witnesses reported that the group was intoxicated during dinner on the island, leading the restaurant manager to warn the harbormaster. Wagner wrote in his memoir that he smashed a wine bottle in front of Walken during a fight. Wood allegedly retreated to their room, and Wagner followed, beginning a fight between the couple.
Marilyn Wayne, who was on a nearby boat, claimed she heard a woman screaming for help and a man’s voice saying something like, “Oh, hold on, we’re coming to get you.” She said the cries lasted for up to 15 minutes before subsiding.
What Happened on the Splendour?
Wagner believed that Wood’s death was an accident. He suggested that she may have slipped off the boat while trying to tie up the dinghy. However, Walken has not often spoken about the night of her death, stating that he believes it was an accident.
Davern, however, later claimed in his book that he believed Wagner was involved in Wood’s death, despite previously stating it was an accident.
Family Perspectives
Wood’s daughter Natasha believes her mother’s death was an accident. She has produced a documentary, Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind, to highlight her mother’s legacy beyond the mystery of her death. Similarly, her other daughter, Courtney, has expressed frustration with the accusations against Wagner.
However, Wood’s sister Lana has long believed that her death was not an accident. She published a book in 2021, Little Sister: My Investigation into the Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood, and has called for Wagner to tell the truth.
Legacy
While Wood had a prolific career in Hollywood, much of her legacy has been overshadowed by the mystery surrounding her death. Natasha has worked to shift the focus back to who her mother was as a person, emphasizing her humanity and artistic spirit.
