I have always called the Natalie Wood tragedy the "Natalie Wood Case." The official investigation into Natalie's death has been closed since approximately one week after her death, but I long ago started asking the question you've seen in some media: Natalie Wood's death: is it a closed case or a cold case?
Again, officially it's a CLOSED CASE. But, it should be considered a COLD CASE. A thorough investigation never transpired for Natalie. Regardless, Natalie's death remains "a case." We still talk about it, we still examine it. It's a case.
Building on the hope to have the case reopened, I've been thinking hard about the details of the Natalie Wood Case, trying to reach the top ten most important elements that should be prominent and useful to get the case reopened. In other words: what top ten elements can help us to convince the media and authorities that the Natalie case should be re-examined? Some of the key points are obvious, but before I compose this important list, I want to be sure I've missed nothing. After I read suggestions, I will compose a final list to be used in the media. Thank you to all who will contribute.
I will greatly appreciate your help. This is something we can work on together. Two heads are better than one, and in this case, many heads are better than two. These key points can include "red flags" overlooked and anything relating to the investigation. Basically, it's a top ten list of
WHY THE NATALIE WOOD CASE SHOULD BE REOPENED.
Here are some of my key points (not in any particular order of importance). I will edit and shorten these... I am simply just listing the key points in more detail for this blog as it may trigger other points.
1) Key witnesses were ignored and./or not pursued and questioned properly (Dennis Davern, Christopher Walken, Marilyn Wayne, Roger Smith, and Robert Wagner). Had all of these witnesses been questioned and/or interrogated separately, inconsistencies that later surfaced may have been detected immediately.
2) The three survivors of the fateful cruise all told different stories in the media, and each of those stories differ from what each survivor told the authorities at the scene.
3) There was never an effort to pursue how Natalie Wood received over 25 body wounds and bruises.
Nor was there an effort to determine WHY Natalie left the yacht.
4) The lead coroner in the case was fired for offering too much information to the public and has since remained silent after offering the public a theory that does not mesh with new and current information.
Noguchi made terrible mistakes in his theories. He claimed Natalie's down jacket helped to drown her immediately by pulling her under and sapping her strength whereas her down jacket is obviously what served as a life preserver.
5) There was a drastic delay in calling for help from aboard the Splendour after Natalie was no longer aboard the yacht. The delay is completely the opposite of what maritime rules call for.
6) There now exists a certified polygraph test passed by the last person to witness the circumstances surrounding Natalie "disappearance" and in that test is a question passed: Robert Wagner was with Natalie Wood on the back deck of the yacht when she went missing. Wagner told the police he had no clue what happened to his wife. It took him over two decades to admit there was a main salon argument where he broke a wine bottle in anger (something he never told the authorities) but he lied about the details of the argument, claiming Natalie was not in the room. Natalie was in the room when he smashed the wine bottle, something also passed by Davern on a polygraph test. Christopher Walken is a living witness to the bottle smashing who could be questioned to settle the issue.
7) The person, Marilyn Wayne, to last hear Natalie Wood crying out for help was totally ignored by the detectives. They claim to have interviewed her but she insists they completely ignored her even though she volunteered her input. Marilyn Wayne is willing to take a polygraph test.
8) Roger Smith, the Coast Guard Lieutenant who retrieved Natalie's body from the ocean tried to offer startling information but was completely ignored by authorities, then later transferred and demoted in what he believes was an effort to silence him.
9) The "banging dinghy theory" has since been proven virtually impossible. The dinghy was tied securely AFT, not PORT, with two lines.
10) A crime scene was compromised. Detectives left the yacht under the supervision of a restaurant owner. The restaurant owner slept aboard the yacht and allowed one of his waitresses to sleep aboard what should have been considered a sealed-off crime scene area.
11) The master stateroom aboard the Splendour was a mess, indicative of trouble aboard the yacht.
12) Wagner's demeanor since the tragedy includes proven lies and different versions of what happened the night of Nov. 28, 1981.
I look forward to your comments, suggestions, and input...I will post the top list soon.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Marti, make sure the #1 reason is because Walken, Wagner and Davern lied to the police and new evidence proves it.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there should have to be a push for this. Those cops are crooked. There's enough evidence for this case to reopen itself. Shame on those in charge.
ReplyDeleteMarti, this is a good idea you've got going. Media people like things wrapped up and packaged pretty. A top ten list is brilliant. They'd be more apt to use a condensed list than getting into all the confusing aspects of this case.
Here's some police procedural errors:
ReplyDeleteNo Time Line constructed by law enforcement, which is a normal procedure.
No cross examination of witnesses after initial interviews, also a normal procedure.
Wagner told Paul Wintler, the first rescuer to appear at the yacht, that he had been in a fight with his wife. This was not picked up by the police for interrogation.
Michael B
The investigation was based on the lies told by the 3 men who were on the boat with Natalie. That should be enough of a reason to re-investigate this case.
ReplyDeleteFirst and foremost, they should re-read the original police report, then re-read all of the statements made over the years by Wagner. That in itself should prompt them to take a closer look at him. He lied to the homicide detectives.
Rasure should be reprimanded also. He should lose his pension. He believed every word Wagner told him yet he said that he sensed that Dennis was a liar from the first interview. HELLO? Dennis and RJ told the same story in the first interrogation but RJ is credible and Dennis is called a liar? I smell something rotten in this "investigation".
Hi Marti.
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff and I am sure you could just keep adding to your list.
May I put your repost what you have written on my Channeling Ricky blog with credit to yourself and link to your site of course?
Sharon
Regarding #3 and #4, Noguchi speculated that the many fresh bruises on Natalie's legs were caused by repeated attempts to hoist herself into the dinghy. This theory is proven false by the fact that Natalie's body was discovered with socks still on her feet. As you proved, if she had been trying to board the dinghy her socks would have come off ratherly quickly and could not have remained on her feet as was the case. Thus, the existence of her many FRESH bruises must be attributed to another cause, one of which would be domestic abuse. JamesV
ReplyDeleteRegarding #6, it is now documented that Mr. Wagner LIED to the police, a crime in and of itself. He told the alleged detective that the smashed wine bottle was caused by "rough seas." His own autobiography shows this to be a false statement. If he had admitted at the time that he was in an intense state of rage and anger, fueled by excessive alcohol consumption, intense enough that he violently smashed a bottle on a table, then that would have opened an entirely new line of questioning and put Natalie's drowning in a different light. JamesV
ReplyDeleteJamesV, yes, that was what I was referring to. If it was all so innocent, why did he lie? Why didn't he tell the authorities the truth about the broken glass? He did not want to draw attention to the fact that he lost his temper.
ReplyDeleteAlso, all out-going and in-coming phone calls should have been documented and everyone involved should have been questioned. Lana Wood was quoted as saying that she was told that Wagner called Paul Ziffren from the boat before he made the random radio call.
Furthermore, all three men should have been checked for bruising etc.
Thank you for all comments. This is very helpful Not checking all the men for any type of brusing is such an oversight in this investigation. You've all raised important points that must be included in this list. I want a concise but comprehensive list that really gets to the crucial points yet doesn't appear flimsy. I think I'm near accomplishing it. I'm hoping that the majority of media will refer to this list. It will be submitted EVERYWHERE, along with a full-blown effort and demand for reopening this horribly investigated case. (More to come)
ReplyDeleteAgain, thank you all, and if anything comes to mind, please comment here.
PS: Sharon, yes, please feel free to post at your blog anything at any time that you deem to have pass-along value, and my gratitude is endless to you and to all staying with us on the Natalie Wood Case.
If the Lana Wood quote could be proven, that's pretty damning evidence. His wife is missing and instead of calling for help he's lining up a lawyer?
ReplyDeleteDon't forget that Marilyn Wayne received a threatening note at her office about the case. An office that was shared by one of Wagner's retinue. I always found that chilling.
ReplyDeleteSome readers make light of the threats that were occasionally tossed around throughout the years. These behind-the-scenes threats have been delivered up until just last year. An author friend of mine, working the Natalie case, too, was threatened by Wagner's ATTORNEY just last year! She was sternly told if she wrote ANYTHING about this case that she would live to regret it. Yes, I have proof of this threat.
ReplyDeleteI don't even like to talk about these threats because they do nothing to strengthen the case. The threats make it appear as if a bunch of "nobodies" (Marilyn, Dennis, myself, and my author friend) are trying to sensationalize our efforts. That is NOT the case. These threats are REAL and we all live with a modicum of fear because we DID receive them. Marilyn went so far to file her threat with her attorney. Unbelievable, yes, but sometimes truth is hard to believe.
When I actually heard one of the threats in 1984, my hotel room was invaded that same night. I believe my room was entered by a tabloid reporter, but it happened the same day I heard the threat from Wagner's publicist. I would have thought little of it had my room not been entered while I wasn't there, but I really thought about the consequences about being involved in this case. The person behind it all had a lot to lose but in all honesty I truly believe that the one thing he didn't want damaged is his image.
Yes, I am quite certain Wagner called his attorney from the yacht the night Natalie was missing. It's how he lined up having a car and legal counsel waiting for him when he reached the Mainland.
Something that will always blow me away is that the authorities provided a private helicopter for Wagner and Walken. Instead of taking them to headquarters to get proper information in DETAIL, these actors were allowed to go home. Not one was asked, "Are you willing to take a polygraph?"
Rasure doesn't believe in polygraphs, at least that's what he told me. I wonder if he ever suggested a polygraph for any other suspected criminal.
Walken sent Rasure a letter THANKING HIM for not treating him like a suspect. That's how he should have been treated, that's how any of us would have been treated under the same circumstances. Rasure was starstruck.
ReplyDeleteDennis was confused, frightened, and in shock when Rasure questioned him briefly right after Dennis identified Natalie. Dennis had been instructed by Wagner to say nothing unless through an appointed attorney. When Rasure asked Dennis if he had spent Friday night on the Island with Natalie in Avalon, Dennis first said that he hadn't and then said that he had. He was screwing up what Wagner had asked of him...instead of being quiet he did lie at first for Wagner and then realized his own mistake. That's why Rasure thought he was a liar. Instead of that being a red flag for Rasure, he immediately disliked Dennis. Wagner lied to Rasure's face, and Rasure KNOWS it, but yet Rasure still defends his horrible investigation. Rasure should be questioned too in a new investigation by fresh, conscientious detectives.
ReplyDeleteRasure told the story of when he first questioned Dennis, Dennis told him that he wanted to talk to RJ first. BIG RED FLAG THERE? In interviews Rasure does not appear to be overly bright. He seemed concerned about the wrong issues.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Rasure should be questioned. I'd love to hear how he defends the lies Wagner told him.
After GNGS Rasure had a perfect opportunity to come clean about his mistakes and saving somw face. Marti you didn't make him look anywhere as bad a dectective as he actually is.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how Natalie got into the water, but once there, I have started to believe she was trying to SWIM AWAY FROM the Splendour. NO, I do not believe that she left of her own accord or was going for a 'moonlight boat ride(!)'. Obviously, something horrible was happening on the boat. The stateroom was in a shambles, she and Wagner were having a terrible fight and Natalie was in a state of partial undress. I think that once she was in the water, she was trying to get away from 'whatever/whoever', in great fear and crying for help.
ReplyDeleteThat's possible but she was too afraid of dark water to try to swim away PLUS, she was not a swimmer BUT,
ReplyDeleteWhen this first happened one of the big questions was why didn't she try to maneuver herself back to the boat rather than to shore. She was closer to the boat. It did not make sense that she would paddle to shore with the boat just a few feet away unless she was unconscious when she hit the water but if she was unconscious she would not have been screaming for help. None of this made sense then just as it does not make sense now. Accidental drowning? SURE and the tooth fairy actually put money under pillows when we were kids.
Anonymous 1:13
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, but I think I was not clear enough about my ideas. My fault.
I don't think she wanted to leave the Splendour at that time of night, dressed that way and all alone. No way!
I have begun to believe Natalie did not have a choice in the matter.
I don't think she was trying to swim to shore, good heavens no, but to another boat, ONCE SHE WAS IN THE WATER. Or hopefully attract the attention of someone on a nearby boat to come and help her, ONCE SHE WAS IN THE WATER.
Natalie could dog paddle, that's been documented, probably just enough to go from one end of a swimming pool to the other, nothing more.
I know she was terribly afraid of, 'deep, dark water', I heard those very words come out of her mouth during an interview.
Yes, SHE WAS closer to the Splendour than anything else. EXACTLY!!
I think that ONCE SHE WAS IN THE WATER, whatever/whoever, was terrifying her on the Splendour out-weighed her fear of the water and the possibility to returning to the boat.
Just imagine that kind fear!
And I'm sure she thought help would come to her from one of the surrounding boats.
I think this falls into line with the fact that Natalie cried out, 'Help! SOMEBODY help me!" and not call SOMEONE'S name.
Thanks Marti for allowing me to repost on my blog, which I did today. I have always thought about the degree of intimidation that you and Dennis have had to endure at you pursue getting the story told and the case reopened. I admire your courage as it far exceeds my own.
ReplyDeleteI went out in a wet suit in the Catalina waters off Avalon in January years ago. The water was 45 degrees and choppy. I would hate to have been in the water for even a minute without the wetsuit. I do not think I could have gotten very far doing the dog paddle. The current would have swept me away. I don't think Natalie was trying to get away from the yacht, I think she was just trying to survive.
Your ten (ten) reasons hold no merit at all. You are 28 years too late. The NW case is not a cold case it is a closed case never to be reopened. Your GNGS did one thing it assured the case will NEVER be reopened. Your star so called witness Davern and his drunken lies makes GNGS a laughing stock of the literaray world and nailed the NW case shut forever. You should have written about the facts instead of showboating a not credible Davern, maybe you would have had a chance. Your book is a unjustice which ruined any chance of justice for NW if there ever was any.
ReplyDeletethe greatest injustice done in this case was that the conclusion was based on Wagner's lies. It took him close to 20 years to tell the truth about the broken glass. If he had told the detectives that he smashed a bottle in an angry, drunken rage, maybe the conclusion would have been different. Wagner was 20 years too late with the truth about the glass and he has NEVER told the truth about Natalie's death and he never will.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Rasure was an inept, starstruck police detective. His investigation is an embarrassment to the LACSD.
Another reason that this case will not be re-investigated is the sorry state of the economy in the State of California and the County of Los Angeles.
To Anonymous who says my book is an embarrassment to the literary world: all I can say is that you are an embarrassment to society. Please do not post at my blog again. I will leave your post up just to show intelligent, caring people what exists out there, but if you post here again, I will delete it. I stand proud of my work for justice for Natalie Wood and I will never give up. The person you idolize so much that it makes you say such ignorant things will go down in history for what he is. Everyone now knows the truth in spite of ignorant people like you.
ReplyDeleteApplause to you, Marti. Some people can't see or refuse to look behind the Jonathan Hart exterior that Wagner displays. All they have left to do is attack you and Dennis. Keep it going, Marti. We are proud of you for having the courage to take this on and keep it going.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I will keep it going. All of the naysayers are in for a rude awakening far more powerful than GNGS. The Wood case WILL be re-opened.
ReplyDeleteMarti, good for you not taking the BS those fans throw around the internet. They attacked your reviews (most all decent reviews in spite of them) and they ruin Natalie fan sites everywhere. I'm proud of you for always coming right back at them. They are despicable people, and as you point out, quite ignorant. I understand you have to be civil with them, but I don't. They can't stand that their knight in shining armour is technically no better than OJ Simpson. It shakes the very ground they walk upon as their lives are so shallow, but as you so accurately pointed out in GNGS, the facts are the facts. It's easier for them to attack you than to face those facts. You would think they'd want the case reopened, wouldn't you? Wouldn't that clear their man once and for all if he's not guilty of anything? They know that he is, that's why they ridicule you. Your book was one hell of a piece of work! Great job!
ReplyDeleteMarti, I can't wait for this case to be re-opened. The truth will come out thanks to you and Dennis.Natalie will then be able to rest in peace. Thank you for all you have done, I wish I could do more to help, we all are proud of you, and all the effort you have put into this case. Stay tough!
ReplyDeleteI wasn't going to comment on this current thread as I had nothing significant to add to Marti's top ten list, she knows this case inside and out. I just wanted to make note of the negative comment above, can't you just feel the venom in their words, that would suggest to me that this book hits a very raw nerve with those in Wagner's court. They lash out at Marti and Dennis but never present any credible reasoning as to why they believe Wagner had nothing to do Natalie's death. I agree too with the person above and had mentioned it myself previously, if Wagner is as innocent and as ignorant of what happened as he has claimed, you'd think they'd welcome a new investigation to find out about the terrible tragedy that took the 'love of his life'! If I were Wagner, I would be very nervous right now, GNGS is not going away!!!!!
ReplyDeleteSharon, thank you for posting at your blog.
ReplyDeleteDeborah and Anonymous, I agree. The people who choose not to believe the raw facts in GNGS should welcome a reopening of this case. They stayed tuned to what I'm saying and doing for no other reason than to ridicule an honest effort to get to the bottom of a horrible investigation. California isn't too broke for any of this. The media will soon help make sure of that.
From the moment I sent off GNGS to the publisher, I believed that if only one person more recognized the injustice to Natalie Wood that it would all be worth it. I can't believe the postivie support this case has acquired since. Thank you ALL so very, very much!
Marti, they read what you have to say because they fear truth. Truth hurts, so they lash out at you. There are so many people involved in this case that you could've torn into, but you didn't. You were fair. I sometimes think you should come on a little stronger, but I appreciate your restraint as well. It only shows your strength and confidence. Keep it up, you're doing great. Can't wait for new release of GNGS. Keep us posted. LAM
ReplyDeleteLAM, coming soon. Hope to wrap-up today and will post availability soon. In fact, I'm tired of Rasure's stubborness. There will be a huge push for the re-opening of the case. Thanks for your comments.
ReplyDeleteNo Marti, thank you for your tireless efforts to get Natalie's case re-opened. Other than you and Dennis, no one else I know of is taking such a public stance and working so hard to see that justice is done. I often think of the threats you have had to endure and admire your courage in the face of such low behavior. Those who choose not to believe the facts that you have uncovered should welcome the case being re-opened. Instead, they scatter like rats back into their holes!
ReplyDeleteMarti,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the grit and resolve you have shown in this case. It must be hard to stay the course when you have faced so much opposition. You seem so certain of the case being reopened that I can't wait to see what is ahead. My only concern is Lana Wood. She calls for the case to be reopened but then says she doesn't suspect foul play. I have great sympathy for her and understand completely why she adds that statement. However, the comments under every story she has been in, question why open the investigation if she doesn't suspect foul play. At least that's the consensus of comments. It seems like it doesn't work to build any support for the case. Also, Perez Hilton has so far ignored my respectul request to print the petition on his site. It is frustrating since he has a lot of readers and could really help. Last night I sent a link to your website with just the words, check it out. I'll continue to monitor his site for any sign of support but maybe he would respond to a direct appeal from you.
About Lana, one has to understand her position to understand why she sometimes includes a "clause" with her statements. Lana lost the only person who ever cared about her when she lost Natalie. Lana loved Natalie like none of us can imagine. They were sisters in every sense of the word sisterhood. They knew each other like no other would ever know either one of them.
ReplyDeleteLana felt threatened after Natalie died but in more ways than one. She stood to lose her career, her family members, her livlihood, her everything. She believed Wagner only to lose it all, regardless. She gave him the benefit of doubt but eventually realized her mistake in doing so. Wagner had begged Lana to believe his story and when she did, he went on a mission to destroy her.
As for Lana's confusing comments in interviews, please know that she was misquoted in a written report, and edited in another video report. The brief interviews did not allot her the time to fully explain herself. Lana believes the truth is in GNGS. She believes her sister's death involves more than was ever told. You will soon hear this from the horse's mouth. Lana wants the case reopened although she doesn't want any further "Wagner fallout" into her life. But, Lana is emotionally stronger than ever. She's no longer stuck between a rock and a hard place -- she's stuck between a rock and the RIGHT place. Lana will do the right thing, as she believes she always has.
I now have the right people behind us and things will be different in the near future in regards to Natalie's case. Certain people can hate us all they want for this mission, but this mission is on, and staying on until Natalie Wood receives the justice she deserves.
I will contact Perez Hilton soon if we're not contacted first. Thank you for your efforts in doing so...it ALL helps!
ReplyDeleteI would add to the list of reasons why the death of Natalie Wood should be reinvestigated:
ReplyDeleteThe existence of illiterate and ignorant (if not simply stupid) persons who tremble with so much fear at the prospect of the case being re-opened that they are compelled to lash out against it and against those who seek the truth.
These attacks by the intelligence-challenged illustrate that even people with limited logic and reasoning ability recognize that Natalie's death was no accident and the official story is fiction. JamesV
Please don't think I was criticizing Lana. I completely understand her position. She has been brave and honest and got nothing but grief for it. I just meant some people were confused about her position. Hopefully, she will soon have the peace she so richly deserves.
ReplyDeleteI would like to add to the list the calls made to you and others by Wagner's lawyers.
ReplyDeleteWhy? If Wagner has nothing to fear, why is he having attorneys call and make threats?
If we were all in the same position and something more than we were aware of happened to cause the death of a spouse, who would not want to know?
Why is he not standing shoulder to shoulder with you to find out the truth if he is completely innocent?
He may use his children as an excuse for not wanting the case re-opened.
My answer to that is, his children are old enough now to have children. Wagner is indeed a grandparent, a joy Natalie was not allowed to experience.
How can he be so very sure of why Natalie left their stateroom for the last time?
He claims he was not with her.
Marti, What is the time frame for re-opening Natalie woods case. Wagner isn't getting any younger, I believe he is 80 now. It would be terrible if Wagner passes before this case is re-opened. WHAT A THOUGHT!!!! I hope things move quickly. Thanks for ALL your efforts, stay strong.
ReplyDeleteTo answer a few questions: I know no one here was criticizing Lana, but I wanted to explain her position and I too hope she will soon have the peace she deserves.
ReplyDeleteAs for the additions to the list of reasons to reopen the case, yes, you would think supporters on both sides of the issue would want the same thing so that questions can officially be answered.
As for Wagner, he has always had attorneys fighting for silence but especially when it is myself, Dennis, Lana, or Marilyn speaking up. Wagner doesn't need to know what happened to his wife because he was with her when "it" happened.
Good news is, things will pick up speed now. Also, I'm not being asked to tread so carefully any longer. You will all soon be hearing exactly what needs to be said about this case. And, the case WILL be reopened.
Marti, YOU JUST MADE MY DAY!!!!! Thanks for the great news of the case being re-opened. God Bless You.
ReplyDeleteGo Marti and GOD Bless dear Natalie and Lana and Natalie's lovely girls...Justice will prevail...
ReplyDeleteGoodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour is the most disturbing book that I have ever read. I wish that the case of Natalie Wood's death were re-opened. But, it just won't happen. As horrifying as the facts are, as disclosed by Dennis Davern, no prosecutor could make a case for premeditated, first-degree murder, which has no statute of limitations. Unfortunately, the statute of limitations in California for second-degree murder is six years, and the statute of limitations for both voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter is three years. Those time periods expired decades ago. Therefore, no prosecutor will decide to charge Robert Wagner for a crime where the statute of limitations has already run. The statute of limitations for bringing a civil suit for wrongful death has also long ago run. It is a terribly unfair result. But, as a practical matter, no criminal case regarding Natalie Wood will be re-opened. The government has limited resources, and prosecutors only pursue cases that they think they can win. In this case, there is no way that a prosecutor could win a criminal prosecution of Robert Wagner. He is protected by the statutes of limitation and will probably die without revealing what really happened on the night of Natalie's death. I can only hope that he has been tormented by his words and actions on that night. But, any torment will never match the horror and desperation that Natalie must have felt that night, as she knew that she was going to die and never see her daughters again. I only hope that hypothermia dulled her senses, so that her death was not so painful.
ReplyDeleteMarti, I hope Natalie's case is reopened. Natalie's family and many, many friends need to have this case gone over in the right way. There is much new testimony that has come to light which casts doubt on the original conclusions concerning Ms Wood's death.
ReplyDeleteAlmost 30 years since Natalie Wood died, and Robert Wagner is now 80 years old. I'm sure this is something he never considered when he decided to lie to the detectives all those years ago... That he would be dealing with a possible murder/manslaughter charge so late in his life. Whether this happens or not, the thought must cross his mind often. I'm reminded of the saying, "Oh! what a tangled web we weave..."
However, justice must be blind and judge Ms Wood's case accordingly. She deserves that much.
Even if Wagner dosen't do any jail time, as long as he is found gulity, and the truth comes out what really took place on that night in November will be good enough for me and I'm sure many others. Wagner may not do time here on earth, but he will pay for his actions.
ReplyDeleteI don't care if Wagner does time either, I just want him to be seen in a different light,I want him exposed for the liar he's been, he should be treated like the 'pariah of Hollywood'! Marti and Dennis have given us much of what happened that tragic night, but reopening the case will help fill in the blanks and also make those individuals who did not perform a proper investigation finally held accountable.
ReplyDeleteWhat we are looking for is a public statement from authorities that the Wood case was not handled properly from the beginning. We want the truth regarded about what REALLY happened to Natalie. For those who think we are after putting Wagner behind bars, and worried about statute of limitations in degrees of murder, well, we're not. We want it publicly known that nothing but lies was told in regards to Natalie's death. This will be a "public case"...
ReplyDeleteWagner is already mentioned in sentences with Fatty Arbuckle, OJ Simpson, Robert Blake, etc., and we want the authorities to REVIEW this case, to look at the particulars, and admit to the sinister possibilities involved.
Natalie will not go down in Hollywood history as the actress who got so drunk she couldn't keep herself aboard her yacht. That is absurd and WRONG. Natalie wanted to go to bed that night. Instead, she drowned in the Pacific and detectives coddled her husband for it. For the official record, we want that absurd scenario corrected.
We're not looking for a courtroom at this stage of the convoluted saga. We're looking to correct this part of Hollywood history, and that WILL happen, as officially as possible! There is soon going to be no way available to avoid answering for the mistakes made in the Natalie Wood case. That's what this mission is about.
Also, if this mission interferes with Wagner's image, his last years on earth, his comfort zone, etc., so be it. As Natalie didn't deserve to be made to endure a night of floating in the Pacific, trying desperately to stay alive while fighting her greatest fear, he doesn't deserve his self-proclaimed "charmed life" for his part in what happened to Natalie. He smashed that wine bottle in maniacal mode, and from that moment on, Natalie's life was in danger. The proof of that is in the end result.
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog and am relieved to see that people still care about what really happened to Natalie Wood. I have had a special bond with her since I was 16 and told for the first time that I look like her. It was the best compliment I have ever received and still do to this day. I remember when she died, two days after I was married, and it profoundly affected me. I have always believed she was murdered and I hope one day through efforts such as yours she will finally have justice.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter to me if Wagner goes to jail either. I want the truth for Natalie and for everyone to see the loving husband and his part in it. Premeditated murder would be impossible to prove. However, when I first read the book I was stunned by his determination to suddenly take the boat to the isolated part of Catalina. He was furious and he had told Dennis Natalie would get more than she bargained for on that trip. Seemed awfully creepy and premeditated to me.
ReplyDeleteCreepy and premeditated perhaps, but I don't believe he intended for it to end up in her death... but things got very ugly and then there was that point of no return for him, I think he just wanted to scare the shi- out of her.
ReplyDeletePremeditated? Maybe? I woudn't put it past Wagner. Wagner may have been having an affair with JSJ. I read Natalie accused him of that. Wagner and JSJ hooked up quite quickly after the loss of his"the love of his life". I can't imagine Natalies ordeal that night, floating in that cold dark ocean water (her biggest fear) This case has to be re-opened with all the new evidence, then once and for all everyone will know the truth, what a liar,ego manic Wagner really is.
ReplyDeleteNatalie did not accuse RJ of an affair with JSJ, that was a misprint on the Daily Mail website. It was taken from his book. It was Marion who accused RJ of screwing around with Jill when they worked together in the late 60s.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that it was premeditated but I do believe that from the moment it happened his main concern was that it be covered up.
Thanks for clearing that up. It was just a thought after what I read. It probably wasn't premeditated, Wagner wanted to get away from the public eye to protect his own image, and his drunken jealous rage took over, again! Poor Natalie.
ReplyDeleteI'm convinced Natalie didn't die from being too drunk. I think most people know that now. If Wagner dosen't answer for what he did than that is the real crime.
ReplyDeleteI thought Wagner would have his day in court.
ReplyDeleteIt WAS chilling what Wagner said in his determination to move the boat. When I read that, I wondered about his intent, but as I learned more, I came to the conclusion that he probably just wanted to make life miserable for her that weekend.
ReplyDeleteAnd it probably WAS somewhat true when he guiltily whispered to Lana, "It was an accident. You have to believe me!" It might have been unplanned, but in his drunken furor, he completely lost it, and Natalie was gone. So, there you have an "accident." Accidents, however, are often avoidable.
If Wagner had acted like a normal man that night, even though he was experiencing jealousy, Natalie would not have perished that night. But instead of keeping his cool, he turned into an enraged drunk. Only he could have prevented Natalie's death, but the only thing he wanted to prevent was the tarnishing of his image after she was no longer on the yacht. At no point did he step back or attempt to restrain his temper and realize that things had gone way too far by the time the argument reached the back deck. I don't believe Natalie had any part of choosing to be on that back deck. She wouldn't have gone out there willingly with only a nightgown and socks on. I believe it may have been the only place to try to escape what was happening in their stateroom. I often think about that part of it.... how did the fight end up on the outside deck, a place Natalie would never have wanted to be, close to the dark water she deathly feared?
ReplyDeleteOnly the authorities can determine if a re-examination of the case warrants a court room, but if there isn't enough evidence for that, at least they should admit how atociously they bungled this one!
An accident? Are you kidding? The man left her to die. The book makes that clear. Dennis Davern made that clear.
ReplyDeleteWe should all use quotes around the word accident to show our sarcasm when we use it. I think when many of us use "accident" we say it with double meaning as we don't know the degree if any of premeditation. I think he was thinking about it Friday night when he sent her off the yacht. It was clear to me that Dr. Taylor was looking into the eyes of something non-human the Saturday night at the restaurant. There are many chilling as well as telling parts in GNGS. I see more each time I read. That he didn't want to attend the funeral sums it up for me. At first, he was like OJ in the Bronco ride: waiting to be caught while unable to face what he'd done the morning after. When things atart to seem like one might and can get away with something so terrible, the arrogance slowly returns. No?
ReplyDelete(atart?) meant start, sorry.
ReplyDeleteFootnote: leaving her to die is clearly a conscious decision. Pre-med? Some lawyers might think so.
but that's not pre-meditated murder. Pre-meditated murder is a murder that was planned, you have to show intent. If this case was properly investigated and if everyone told the truth, it might have been possible for a slick DA to show intent but at this point, it's impossible. All that can be shown is the cover up and the lies that were told in addition to the very shady investigation. Wagner won't go to jail but his reputation will be destroyed. For someone as conscious of his public image as Wagner is, that could be worse than jail.
ReplyDeletethis may sound like a stupid question but does anyone know if Lana checks out our comments here regularly?
ReplyDeleteyes Marianne9 I agree with you, I don't think he ever intended to kill her
ReplyDeleteHe acted in the heat of the moment, voluntary manslaughter.
ReplyDelete"Oh, I'm mad, so I'll make sure she dies out there"??? He CHOSE to leave her in that water. How sickening, nomatter what degree of killing it is!!!
ReplyDeletewhen Wagner went to their stateroom, I still don't think he intended to kill her, he may have gone to find out how much hot water he was in with her. It was then the arguing started maybe after she really let him have it verbally, she may have brought up their past together, how she took the blame for their first breakup saying it was an affair with Beatty by her, not her catching him in a compromising position with another man,(Finstad's "Natasha").
ReplyDeleteDeborah J, that was my first thought when Dennis made the revelation many years ago that RJ and Natalie had an argument in the stateroom. I thought that she may have said something about what really happened when they split up, maybe she threatened to go public with it. I doubt that she would have, I don't think she would have done that to their children but when couples fight, they say things. He may have flipped out with that.
ReplyDeleteI think she was so pissed at him, she laid in to him big time and like you said, when couples fight, especially when alcohol is involved, ugly things get said, things people harbor but unleash when intoxicated. Then the verbal exchange turned physical, he then told her to get off his 'f-ing' boat and it spilled out to the deck and then only they know how she got where she did. Here we have our 'if' again...if only he had just left her alone and not gone to that stateroom, things would have cooled off and they definitely would have returned to the mainland the next morning...'if'..
ReplyDeleteThis is my take what took place that November night: The drinking, the broken wine bottle,the terrible fight in the state room. Things thrown around,a lot of pushing and grabbing(bruises)out to the back deck. Wagner gives Natalie a blow on the face.(face abrasion)Wagner puts down jacket on Natalie(thinking it would weigh her down) WAgner sets her a drift. Natalie comes to, sceaming for help from someone. (not asking for help from Wagner) I'd call that MURDER!!!
ReplyDeleteregarding your scenario, I disagree with the face abrasion, I don't believe skin on skin would do that...I think she fell somehow on the back deck and the non-skid scratched her.
ReplyDeleteDeborah J. Could it be possible that Wagners blow to the face was great enough to knock her down to the back deck non-skid surface causing the abrasion? It's a possiblity, I'm confused about the fact that Natalie wasn't screaming when she first landed in the water. Was she conscious when she ended up in that dark cold ocean? Wants again it was her biggest fear in life.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I wanted to say Once again. Excuse my error.
ReplyDeleteI think she fell somehow, whether he hit her I don't know, but in my minds eye, I'm definitely just guessing here, the fall maybe made her semi-conscious, he then grabbed her ankles to pull her towards himself, Marti noted in her book about the 'half moon' scratches in that area, he then picked her up and threw her over. About the coat, I think he put that on her before all this, he did it so fast she didn't even think to fight, to protest, because she didn't think he'd follow through on heaving her overboard. He then untied the dinghy to aide her as a life raft all the while thinking to himself, "there, let this be a lesson to you, stay there awhile while I have control over you". Had a proper autopsy been done,think Marti mentions in her book, non-skid may have been found imbedded in her cheek. As I said, I could be way off on this.
ReplyDeleteLet me add this, I should have said about the autopsy, one done with the suspiscion of foul play and not just an accident.
ReplyDeletethe big mystery is how she ended up in the water and all that took place after that. As someone asked, why didn't she scream as one would do if the were pushed or fell into the very cold water. One would scream from fright and from the feeling of the cold water. She was wearing a nightgown with no undergarments. Can you imagine how cold it would have been. She did not have a chance to dip her foot in to get used to the water. The shock of the cold water must have been tremendous and she did not scream? And when she did scream for help, she said somebody help me. She didn't scream "RJ, help me". and again, why didn't she maneuver back to the boat? Why didn't she grab a hold of the dinghy and paddle back to the boat rather than paddling to shore? I don't recall Wagner ever questioning that or Rasure. Could it be that they both knew that she was in a semi-conscious state from the blow to the face. In the book, Marti said that Noguchi originally felt that Natalie was unconscious but he altered his finding. There are so many questions that remain unanswered even with Marti's hard work and determination. One person, aside from Natalie, has all the answers and he will never tell.
ReplyDeleteWith all the new evidence It's a no brainer what took place that night. We will never know all the particulars,only Wagner knows for sure. I just hope it all comes out before Wagner dies. That will be a fitting end to this horrible crime. I hope Natalies daughters can deal with the out come. I have a feeling they will.
ReplyDeleteThere is still the question, did he push her, did she slip and fall while the argued on the deck, did he take a swing at her and knock her in the water after saying "get the f... off my boat". whatever the case may be, he knew she was in the water and let her died and conspired to cover it up.
ReplyDeleteNatalie's daughters will always support their father. I have the feeling that he lied to them about something that he is claims he is keeping from the public out of respect for Natalie. He's slick. He is letting them think he is looking out for their mother and taking the rap from the public. He's manipulating them.
Bottem line, He knew she was in the water. Intoxicated or not, Wagner could have or should have saved his(love of his life) Too much evidence to over look.
ReplyDeleteHow else would she have ended up in the water if Wagner didn't throw her in? There dosen't seem to be any other explanation. Natalie was not going anywhere near that ocean water at night by herself. Wagner had to throw her in. However, it's what he did after he threw her in that makes Ms Wood's death a crime.
ReplyDeleteThe dinghy was released after the cries for help ended. Follow the logical sequence:
ReplyDelete1)Marilyn Wayne stated that after the cries for help ended, the music continued for a few minutes.
2)Dennis Davern stated that after he turned the music off, he soon heard boating sounds that he identified as the sounds of the lines from the dinghy being loosened.
So Wagner let the dinghy go after the cries for help ceased. It's unlikely that Wood had the opportunity to use the dinghy to hang onto or climb up into, if she was still alive. If the dinghy's release was up to 25-30 minutes after she went into the water, the undertow put some distance between Wood and the dinghy. If the undtertow remained constant during those several hours, Wood could have been 100 yards adrift from the yacht when the dinghy was released.
Michael B
Just read all of the scenarios here. Wagner knows and he will probably never tell. Dennis knows enough to know that something sinister happened on that back deck. The argument was too heated. He may have missed the crucial moments that Natalie actually went into the ocean, but he was with Wagner for every moment afterward and saw and heard (even after pleading) that Wagner flat-out refused to do ANYTHING to try to rescue Natalie. Dennis thought they'd find her after Paul Wintler showed up and took Wagner into his small patrol boat. When Wagner returned alone 10 minutes or so later, Dennis pleaded to call the Coast Guard but Wagner insisted that everything still be kept low-key.
ReplyDeleteI think Lyn Taylor did a good job speculating that Natalie received the facial abrasion from the non-skid surface of the deck. Lyn also believes she may have been semi-conscious going into the water. Being shocked by such cold water could easily stifle a scream. It could take up to 30 seconds before you even realize your predicament. Lyn believes the cold water revived her and that she was smart enough to call for "outside" help by asking for "somebody" and not for RJ specifically.
I've worn a down jacket in water...it's not easy to maneuver yourself, you are actually that buoyant ... you are like a loose inner tube. Even the slightest current would've carried her away quickly, and if she were to remove the jacket, she would have had no hope of staying above water. She did not know how to swim well.
Imagine the terror!
Natalie also had a 4-inch bruise on her arm and a large bruise on her leg. There were scratches at her ankles. Could a fingernail have reached under her sock? How else could a scratch occur without damaging the socks? All these fine details were never examined by any forensic experts. And the corner claimed that over 25 bruises came from a quick fall off a deck?
It is outrageoues the way Natalie's case was handled. No one deserves such a suspicious death to be handled the way Natalie's death was handled.
Yes, I sometimes became frustrated with Dennis, but I didn't walk in his shoes. When he tells me about how shocked and scared he was, it's too real. He was a victim, too. He was manipulated. Marilyn Wayne was treated like trash, and what Coast Guard Lieutenant Roger Smith went through borders on obscene! I've discovered there were some "politics" involved in Natalie's death on top of everything else!
It all worked in Wagner's favor.
As for Natalie's daughters being hurt by truth, well, Dennis worried about that for many years. The need to tell the truth, in my opinion, overpowers all else if Natalie is to have any degree of justice. She isn't "the famous actress who got drunk and fell overboard." That is so far from the truth. It's a horrible position to be in, to be the messenger of facts that hurt, and I wish any pain for Natalie's family could be avoided, but the intent is genuine to bring Natalie justice. If I'm criticized for that, so be it. That could only come from people who don't care about the truth. I do. How sad a case this is.
ReplyDeleteIt will be very hurtful to Natalie's daughters but they are grown women and I think not knowing is far more soul-wrenching. I have been thinking about Dennis too. At first I took a very moralistic "how dare he not help her" view, but I've had time to reflect and really consider his situation. His only experience of Wagner and Natalie had been of a loving couple. I'm sure Wagner kept up his Jonathan Hart persona for Dennis and he knew him in no other way. Imagine his shock when Wagner goes from a friendly puppy to a foaming at the mouth pit bull. Natalie is missing and Wagner is clearly a dangerous person that night. I don't think Dennis had any time to process the events as they were coming at him. I'm sure his mind was spinning in horror and mostly disbelief. It's easy to judge him harshly but how many of us have functioned perfectly when faced with overwhelming stress and confusion. Toss in power and fear and it's a very toxic combination. Dennis has had years to understand and reconcile what happened that night. Now with a clear, unfettered mind he steps up and gives us the truth. I can respect that.
ReplyDeletehow did she get a bruise on her arm if she was wearing a jacket? That bruise had to have occurred before she went into the water.
ReplyDeletemy feeling is that Natalie's daughters are controlled by the fact that Wagner controls them, financially. also, no child, no matter what age, wants to believe that their father killed their mother.
ReplyDeleteKevin, I was certainly being sarcastic when I referred to it as an accident. I did use quotes, also. I was mocking Wagner's plea to Lana to believe it was "an accident." He sounded like a guilty little kid, knowing he's in trouble (or SHOULD be), begging for mercy and whining, "It was an accident!"
ReplyDeleteI know that you have read my other posts on here, so my position on all of this is pretty clear on this site. I was kind of surprised that you didn't pick up on my sarcasm! It's no problem.
Hi, Marti:
ReplyDeleteIf Natalie was semi-conscious when she went into the water and it took a while for her to regain her senses, then it helps explain why Dennis could not hear her (especially with the music on). She might've drifted a ways from the boat even in that short time, so it would've been even harder for him to notice anything when she DID start making calls for help. And yes, it was striking to read that Natalie called out to someone ELSE, "Help me." She knew it wasn't coming from the person who put her in the water.
Of course, Marilyn Wayne and John Payne heard Natalie as she drifted. By that time, Natalie might've been moving very fast away from Splendour. I so wish that someone in the Harbor Patrol office had answered their calls.
Another thing I'm sure of--just like I wouldn't place a phone call to a lawyer before my missing spouse was found, I wouldn't ignore (or worse, threaten) the person who likely was the last one to hear my spouse alive.
What reason was there for Wagner to ignore Wayne in that restaurant? What reason for her to receive threats like she did?
Wagner has brainwashed Natalie's daughters, as well as Olga. He tells Olga what to read and what not to. How very, very sad.
I, too, believe that Wagner went to the stateroom just to "assess the damage." From Dennis' account in the book, it was clear Wagner realized he went too far after he broke the bottle. I wish he would've left it alone, like someone above mentioned.
ReplyDeleteIt kind of sounded on Friday night that he knew he was misbehaving then, too, but he let Dennis take Natalie ashore instead of approaching her to make amends. Why couldn't he have just left her alone on Saturday? There were extra rooms. I wish Natalie had locked the stateroom door.
If any one of a number of small things had just happened differently on that tragic weekend, that beautiful vibrant force would be still with us. It is one of the saddest and most heartwrenching stories ever.
ReplyDeleteSorry ,Marianne. All the posts I was reading that night seemed to be letting Wagner off the hook. I reread your post and I understand now.
ReplyDeleteI truly believe the crime in this case is leaving Natalie to die. I just don't understand how she could have fallen in that water herself. The walls around the stern are fairly high and sturdy. Natalie was only a little over five feet tall...I just can't see how she ended up in that water by accident. But, even if that was the case, I'm 100% sure that Wagner knew Natalie was in the water and had made up his mind to let her die. I truly believe that he untied the dinghy after she started to float away...In an effort to make it appear she left.
I guess, to me, it's not so much Natalie being in the water, as it is about Wagner doing nothing to help her. He not only didn't help her, but he prevented Dennis from looking for her. He was counting the hours until he felt that enough time had passed and that she was dead.
I would like to at least see Wagner deposed by the LA County District Attorney's Office. I think he needs to be grilled on the events of November 29, 1981.
Kevin, I think we all realize that Natalie could not have fallen over the rail. That's impossible but she could have fallen at the gate to the swim step. It was always left opened. I can envision Wagner grabbing her and saying "get the f... of my boat" while holding onto her shoulders and making a motion in the direction of the gate as if to throw her off. When people throw people out of a room, they walk and point in the direction of the door, Wagner could walked and pointed to the direction of the gate and placed her directly in front of it. At that point she could have fallen or he could have shoved her. Then, he allowed her to die the death she feared her entire life. He was drunk and he was angry and he was jealous. He tends to lose control of himself under those circumstances. Remember the story Gavin Lambert told in his book about Wagner threatening to throw himself out of a window? He was drunk and angry and jealous when he did that. I don't think anyone is letting him off the hook except for the LACSD. They let him off the hook.
ReplyDeleteI think it was left open during the day not overnight. Davern said the boat was secured (with the dinghy tied to the stern) that night. Exactly, that is my point. Wagner opened that door with the intention of throwing her in. That's why I said originally I don't think this was an accident. Wagner threw Natalie in the water. I just don't see her standing by an open door, that leads to dark ocean water, in the middle of the night while they were fighting.
ReplyDeleteI think Natalie going into the water happened very fast...I can't see her letting Wagner lead her to the edge and standing there. If he led her to the edge it was with the intent to throw her in the ocean. This was not a spur of the moment fight. He had been stewing for two days, and he was looking for blood.
The man passed those early morning hours sitting and drinking and waiting for Ms Wood to die.
Oh, it happened very quickly. I agree with you. I believe he may have led her to the gate by physically handling her.
ReplyDeleteI got the impression that the gate was opened all the time. Marti?
The gate was generally left open and Dennis believes it was open this night, too. He can't recall, but is fairly certain the door was open because he rarely closed it. The way the dinghy is tied up at the rear is sideways, flush with the swim step.
ReplyDeleteDennis had a routine when in for the night. The dinghy would be tied at the sterm with two lines, and the door left open. There was nothing different about that routine on Sat, Nov. 28, 1981. Thus, it stands to reason that Wagner created the lie about the dinghy being tied port to support his lie about the dinghy banging into the stateroom wall. Oh what a tangled web...
ReplyDeleteThanks Marti. I thought when Dennis said that the boat was secured for the night that that meant the door would have been closed. I guess it really dosen't matter whether Wagner opened the door or it was opened. I somehow doubt that Natalie would have fallen overboard by accident on such a calm night. I think she had to be helped into that ocean water.
ReplyDeleteI think if Wagner had accidentily caused Natalie to fall overboard he would have helped her out. Because he did everything in his power to prevent her rescue, I think he threw her in on purpose.
ReplyDeleteIf he threw her in accidentally I think he would have realized that Natalie was in danger because of her inability to swim and her fear of the water. I think he would have done all he could to get her out. He didn't. He did the opposite. It seems like he wanted Natalie to die.
ReplyDeleteKevin, the most confusing thing about this case is the DELIBERATE decision to not try to help Natalie. The first thing Dennis wanted to do--what we ALL would naturally want to do--was to try to find Natalie and help her. Wagner made sure he manipulatd Dennis away from that choice. Wagner poured Dennis booze and encouraged him to drink. Wagner waited for hours before making a lame call ashore. I agree with you, this was a deliberate decision to give Natalie enough time to "really disappear." I also agree that there's no way she put herself into the ocean, and it would be near impossible to have accidentally fallen overboard.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Natalie had NOTHING to do with dinghy being released. She wouldn't even know how to start it.
ReplyDeleteWe'll never know how she got into the water but we do know that he did everything he could to make sure that she was not rescued and that his image was protected.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous at 8:55 p.m. on August 9th:
ReplyDeleteI fully agree--I have TORTURED myself thinking of all the "what ifs" about this case, not just the ones that happened that weekend, but the ones leading up to it. This was an entirely preventable tragedy, and SO many things led up to it.
"Brainstorm" was way over production (thanks in large part to Walken being a difficult jackass for the director to handle). The movie should've wrapped long before that weekend, and Walken should've been back home on the East Coast on Nov. 29th. I hate that Natalie lost her life because she invited him. He wasn't worth her friendship.
But he was in town for Thanksgiving, and Natalie generously included him. It is a shame that others bowed out. I am absolutely convinced that the presence of just ONE more person would've changed the dynamics of that trip. I don't think things would've escalated to the point that they did.
I believe that Natalie would have decided to go home on Saturday morning with a companion. I think the reason that she did not was that she did not want to travel alone--this was very much like her. Plus, it sounded like she couldn't round up someone to meet her in Marina del Rey--again, if she had a companion, I don't think this would've been as big a deal to her.
There are so many other things that could've changed the weekend--I've already mentioned them all here in older threads. They're why I've been just heartsick over this story. There were many things that could've been done (or avoided), by a number of people, but they weren't.
There should've been someone at the Harbor Patrol station 24 hours a day. Where were they? I don't believe they were under budget cuts that abound today. There should've BEEN somebody to take Marilyn Wayne's calls. They would've found her quickly.
I won't even list the things that Wagner did and didn't do--those are obvious and well-discussed.
I see two weaknesses in the theory about Natalie getting pushed through the swim step door. First, the dinghy was secured sideways and covered most of the swim step. If Natalie was pushed directly through the swim step door, she'd fall into the dinghy.
ReplyDeleteSecond, from Marilyn Wayne's memory, Natalie was probably in the water *between* Splendour and the boat Marilyn was in. That would mean there was no way Natalie could go through the swim step door and end up *over* the dinghy rope on the *other side* of the boat without falling into the dinghy. The swim step door is on the port side of the boat, but Natalie was probably floating in the water on the starboard side. (See Marti's post on Dec 14, 2010.) Correct me if I'm wrong - I'm not a boater.
IMO, all the evidence points to Natalie going over the wall of Splendour... unless she ended up in the dinghy and was then pushed over the side of the dinghy into the water. (Even more sinister.)
from KB
Hi, I read your book last Spring and found it fascinating. I just finished reading Robert Wagner's Pieces of My Heart so that I could possibly get a clearer understanding of how a person who loves someone, as much as RJW seemed to love NW, could allow the object of their affection to die in such a horrible way. I do believe that RJW loved Natalie, but he loved himself and his image more, and when he felt there was a distinct chance that he was going to lose her for a second time, he couldn't bear it. To him losing her through death--so that no one else can have her either--was preferable to divorcing a second time (which would mean another failure on his part) and watching someone else become her leading man. I think that RJ needed unending loyalty from his women, and he felt betrayed by Natalie, as I believe she threatened to leave him because of his bad behavior that final night on Splendour. He probably threw her overboard to teach her a lesson, although I don't think that his original intention was to kill her. Once she was in the water and the situation became out of control-- with the makings of a scandal that could possibly end up making himself look very foolish, he had to cover things up in a way that would salvage his ego. Unfortunately, Natalie became an enemy that he had to defeat, and allowing her to die was the best way that this could be accomplished. I believe that he can live with himself because he was not completely in control of his impulses--due to the alcohol and drug use and his intense emotional reaction. He can rationalize and say that he was not himself at the time, and he can also put blame on Natalie because she caused the intense reaction in the first place. Of course, this is just another theory. The truth may never be discovered, but I imagine that RJW probably lives with guilt over what happened. One's own conscience has a way of doling out necessary justice.
ReplyDeleteAs I said on another blog, I've always felt her husband was the blame. Being a survivor of domestic abuse I saw the signals loud and clear. Thank God the case has been reopened. As my Mom always said lies die and the truth prevails. May Natalie finally get her justice!!!!
ReplyDelete