Nisandi Silva
Mrs. Hammett
Composotion I (010)
Fall 2018
Drowning Disguised as Murder
Drowning victim or domestic abuse victim? Natalie Wood, a
Hollywood legend, was not only known for starring in West Side Story but for
her death, which remains a great mystery. Immediately, her death was ruled an
accidental drowning. Thirty-seven years later, Natalie Woods death has still
not been put to rest. The evident bruise marks and testaments made by witnesses
would rule her death as intentional domestic violence. Her body was found
floating in the Santa Catalina Island. So, how did her body end up in the
water? Was there foul play? Let’s put on our detective badges and investigate
how Natalie Wood really died.
Thirty-seven years have passed and Natalie Woods true cause of
death has yet to determined. Input from witnesses and from autopsy reports have
led to two conspiracy theories:
1.
Natalie Woods husband, Robert Wagner, abused and beat her to death
then tossed her body into the waters of the Santa Catalina Island
2.
Natalie Wood was unconscious when being thrown into the water by
her husband, Robert Wagner, which lead her to drown unknowingly
Natalie
Wood, a three-time Golden Globe winner, Hollywood legend who stared in West
Side Story, Rebel Without a Cause and many more, remains in the news not
because of her outstanding performance in various movies but for her mysterious
death. Everyone is convinced Robert Wagner murdered her. He could have played a
small part in her death but when considering all the facts, Natalie Wood
drowned. Her body was found floating in California’s Santa Catalina Island.
Wood’s famous quote, “at night, when the sky is full of stars and the sea is
still you get the wonderful sensation that you are floating in space” could not
represent her death more perfectly (Natalie
Wood Quotes). Too soon?
Natalie Wood was mentally traumatized as a child growing
up. Her mother, Maria Gurdin, instilled extremely high expectations. Her one
ruling passion was to, “raise [her daughter] to become a movie star” (Lambert).
Her father, Nicholas Gurdin, “basically gentle but weak, was fixated on a past
that revolution had forced him to leave behind. The more he lamented it, the
more he drank-and erupted with violent rage” (1). Parents love to see their
children become successful and thrive but how much of their tough love is too
much? “Maria continued to, “implant all kinds of irrational fears and anxieties
in her daughter” (1). This is not tough love this is straight up mental abuse.
Natalie was always told what to think and what to feel by her mother and
directors. Never was she able to think for herself. Scratch actress off of her
bio, she was a puppet. She “lost” herself trying to live in a fabricated
illusion of reality because it beat coming home to a drunk father and abusive
mother.
Natalie wood suffered aquaphobia. Her sister, Lana had
said on an interview on Megyn Kelly Today that “her sister was terrified of the
water” because a fortune teller told their mother “someone was going to die
from drowning” (Black). Natalie has been afraid and avoided water ever since.
People find it hard to believe Natalie “fell off the boat while trying to board
a dinghy” because of her phobia (Black). No person who has a fear of something
will voluntarily put themselves at risk unless they’re trying to get away from
something or someone.
Is
anger and jealousy good husband material? Natalie was abused by her spouse
which some think is what caused her death. Dennis Davern, the skipper of the
yacht, came forward and told police, “he heard Wood and Wagner engage in a loud
fight that night and when it grew quite he went back on deck to find Wagner
standing alone. Wagner told him that Wood was missing, and when Davern
suggested calling for help, Wagner blocked him from doing so. Later, he said,
Wagner instructed him on the story they would tell to police: that she must
have slipped and fallen into the water by accident” (Puente). This looks like a
cover up and it is. Wagner must have thought he had killed her and thought
saying she fell into the water was a perfect story. So far, it has. Wagner was
“angry over Natalie and Christopher Walken’s close friendship.” “In Robert’s
2008 memoir, Piece of My Heart, he confirms he got into a fight with
Christopher the night Natalie died, writing: ‘I picked up a wine bottle,
slammed it on the table and broke it into pieces” (Black). This proves Wagner
was jealous which establishes a motive. According to Natalie Woods autopsy
report, she was found face down floating with:
superficial
skin bruises on the extremities and abrasions on the left side of the face. The
right forearm shows a diffuse recent bruise over the lateral aspect above the
wrist. The left wrist is slightly deformed. There are numerous small
superficial skin bruises over the right and left lower legs. There are no
traumatic injuries over the chest abdomen or head. (Noguchi)
With these body
descriptions, she definitely appears to like a victim of an assault. But are
her beatings the reason that caused her death?
According
to deputy medical examiner, Joseph H. Choi, M.D. and Ronald N. Kornblum, M.D.
and chief medical examiner-coroner, Thomas T. Noguchi, M.D., “the autopsy findings
are consistent with drowning in the ocean…most of the bruises on the body are
superficial and probably sustained at the time of the drowning” (Noguchi). There are two ways she
could have died. Natalie could have been knocked out and Robert could have
tossed her overboard or Natalie could have escaped Robert from beating her and
accidentally fell overboard. However, you want to look at it, Natalie Wood was
a brilliant, abused actress who was controlled by those who loved her most.
In
the mysterious death of Natalie Wood, two conspiracy theories are highlighted.
One theory suggest that Natalie Wood was murdered by the hands of her jealous
husband, Robert Wagner. The other suggests that she may have been unconscious
when she went overboard where she drowned.
The
first conspiracy theory suggest that the husband, Robert Wagner, killed Natalie
Wood. Los Angeles detective Ralph Hernandez said, “as soon as we looked at the
autopsy reports and photos, the bruises just stood out. You look at the
bruising and she looks like the victim of an assault” (Black). Obviously bruise
marks raise suspension of abuse, but are we really going to determine the cause
of death based off some discoloration? The evidence is so incriminating even
the yacht’s captain, Dennis Davern, (on the night of her death, the couple was
on a yacht) believes Robert killed his wife. He said, “Wagner instructed him on
the story they would tell the police: that she must have slipped and fallen
into the water by accident” (Puente). Someone
innocent shouldn’t have to worry about a cover story. Wagner has given three
interviews since the initial investigation but since the case reopened, he “has
refused to be re-interviewed” (Black). Would an innocent person refrain from
trying prove their innocence? Probably not. According to Natalie’s sister Lana,
“Dennis told her that after he knocked on the couple’s door, Wagner opened it a
little bit and said ‘mind your own business’ and shut the door’” (Black). Wagner, “was angry over Natalie and
Christopher [Walken’s] close friendship…[Wagner] confirms he got into a fight
with Christopher the night Natalie died…‘I picked up a wine bottle, slammed it
one the table and broke it into pieces’” (Black). This ominous behavior suggest
assault and could have led to Natalie’s death but his aggression isn’t what
killed her. The story being told is that she fell into the water to prevent the
yacht from hitting the dingy. Natalie suffered aquaphobia. No person who has a
fear of something will voluntarily risk themselves unless they’re trying to get
away from someone or something.
Despite the strong evidence that points towards murder,
conspiracy two suggest that Natalie’s body was bruised from the impact of
falling off the yacht and drowning:
superficial
skin bruises on the extremities and abrasions on the left side of the face. The
right forearm shows a diffuse recent bruise over the lateral aspect above the
wrist. The left wrist is slightly deformed. There are numerous small
superficial skin bruises over the right and left lower legs. There are no
traumatic injuries over the chest abdomen or head. (Noguchi)
According to deputy
medical examiners, Joseph H. Choi, M.D. and Ronald N. Kornblum, M.D. and chief
medical examiner-coroner, Thomas T. Noguchi, M.D., “the autopsy findings are
consistent with drowning in the ocean…most of the bruises on the body are
superficial and probably sustained at the time of the drowning” (Noguchi). Based on this evidence, Natalie died
drowning. However, that doesn’t mean Wagner had no part in her death. Natalie
could have been knocked out by Wagner’s aggression which led him to believe he
accidentally killed her. Afraid of what he had done, he could have tossed her
incapacitated body overboard to make it look like she jumped. Or Natalie knocked
herself out trying to escape that she accidentally fell overboard without
knowing. Because she was knocked out, she couldn’t have known she was drowning.
One Hundred percent of the people that took my survey agree that her cause of
death was from downing.
As
much as the evidence wants to point towards Wagner, the world may never know
how Natalie really died.
Thirty-seven years have passed and Natalie Woods true cause of
death has yet to be determined. Input from witnesses and autopsy reports have
led to two conspiracy theories:
1.
Natalie Woods husband, Robert Wagner, abused and beat her to death
then tossed her body into the waters of the Santa Catalina Island
2.
Natalie Wood was abused then unconscious when being thrown into
the water by her husband, Robert Wagner, which lead her to drown unknowingly
After examining both
conspiracy theories thoroughly, the evidence that best provides an explanation
for Natalie’s cause of death is drowning but unknowingly. Her cause of death
hasn’t been brought to justice but that makes her death remain one of the
greatest mysteries.
Works Cited
Black, Nikki. “JUST IN: Natalie Wood's Sister Reveals: I Know
Robert Killed Natalie'.” New Idea Magazine, 28 July 2018, www.newidea.com.au/natalie-woods-sister-says-she-knows-robert-wagner-murdered-her.
Black, Nikki. “Natalie Wood Murder Scandal: Shock New
Evidence.” New Idea Magazine, 31 July 2018, www.newidea.com.au/natalie-wood-murder-scandal-shock-new-evidence.
Lambert, Gavin. “How Natalie Wood Found Happiness.” The
Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 25 June 2004, www.theguardian.com/film/2004/jun/25/2.
“Natalie Wood Quotes.” BrainyQuote, Xplore,
www.brainyquote.com/quotes/natalie_wood_349233.
Noguchi , Thomas T. “Examination at Forensics Science Center
.” Examination at Forensics Science Center , 29 Nov. 1981, www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/Celebs/wood,%20natalie_report.pdf.
Puente, Maria. “Natalie Wood Was Murdered by Robert Wagner,
Say Her Sister and the Yacht Skipper on Dr. Phil.” USA Today,
Gannett Satellite Information Network, 14 Sept. 2018, www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2018/09/14/natalie-wood-murdered-robert-wagner-say-sister-witness-dr-phil/1304231002/.
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