Off Shore Muse

Remembering Natalie

Natalie Wood (July 20, 1938-November 29, 1981) was an American actress who began her career in film as a child and successfully transitioned to young adult roles. Wood started acting at age four and was given a co-starring role at age 8 in Miracle on 34th Street.

On November 29, 1981 at the age of 43 Wood drowned in the Pacific Ocean near Santa Catalina Island during a break from production of her would-be comeback film, Brainstorm (1983). She was with her husband, Robert Wagner and Brainstorm co-star, Christopher Walken. Los Angeles County coroner, Thomas Noguchi ruled the cause of death to be accidental drowning and hypothermia. According to the coroner, Wood had been drinking and she may have slipped while trying to re-board the dinghy. Her sister, Lana expressed doubts, alleging that Wood could not swim and had been "terrified" of water all her life and that she would never have left the yacht on her own. Two witnesses who were on a nearby boat stated they had heard a woman scream for help during the night. (Not sure if the folks on the nearby boat were ever interviewed as to what they may have seen).

Eventually, the case was reopened in November 2011 after Dennis Davern, Splendour Captain stated that he had lied to the police during the initial investigation and that Wood and Wagner had argued that fateful evening. He stated that Wagner had prevented him from turning on the search lights and notifying authorities after Wood's disappearance. Later the Captain later alleged he felt Wagner was responsible for his wife's death. The other passenger, Walken hired a lawyer and cooperated with the investigation. He was not considered a suspect by authorities.

In 2012, a different Los Angeles County Coroner amended Wood's death certificate changing the cause of death from accidental drowning to "drowning and other undertermined factors". The amended document included a statement that it is "not clearly established" how Wood ended up in the water.

Authorities recovered her body at 8 a.m. away from the boat with a small inflatable dinghy beached nearby. She was found floating in the water, wearing a flannel nightgown and a down jacket.

In February 2018, Robert Wagner was named a person of interest by the police in the investigation. The police stated they know Wagner was the last person to be with Wood before she disappeared. In a 2018 report, the Los Angeles Times cited the coroner's report from 2013 saying Wood had unexplained fresh bruising on her right forearm, left wrist and right knee, a scratch on her neck and a superficial scrape on her forehead. Officials said tht it is possible she was assaulted before she drowned. Forensic pathologist, Michael Hunter speculated Wood was particularly susceptible to bruising because she had taken the drug, Synthroid. In 2020, a medical doctor and former intern of Noguchi at the time of Wood's death stated the bruises were substantial and fitting for someone being thrown out of a boat. He claimed he made those observations to Noguchi.

Wood had been on a weekend boat trip to Santa Catalina Island on board her husband, Robert Wagner's 58-foot motoryacht named Splendour after the motion picture film Natalie made in 1961, Splendor in the Grass with Warren Beatty (his film debut). The weekend boat trip to Santa Catalina turned deadly and the investigation still remains a mystery, today. Eventually, Natalie's husband, Robert Wagner wrote a book, Pieces of My Heart with author, Scott Eyman. It was published September 23, 2008. In the book, Wagner admits he had an argument with Wood before she disappeared though when Captain Davern first stated to the authorities Wood and Wagner argued that evening, Wagner denied it at the time.

Splendour

Los Angeles

California

To this day, no one has ever been arrested in connection to Natalie Wood's untimely death.

RIP Natalie .. only you have the answers.

The yacht, "Splendour" is now a sitting scrap heap. The State of Hawaii hauled the vessel from the Ala Wai Small Boat Harbor on Oahu. It's been sitting unused for over 20 years after several owners. The condition of the boat deteriorated significantly over the years due to nearly $12,000 in illegal mooring fees and it cost Hawaii almost $14,500 to get rid of the yacht. The yacht was in extremely poor condition and was in danger of sinking.