More Tommy Garrett, Canyon News Coverage of Natalie Wood's Final Weekend

Tommy Garrett of Canyon News  is following what may result of the re-open Natalie Wood case petition. His articles are informative, fair, well written, and I appreciate that he's talking with those who also submitted statements to accompany the petition, including Lana Wood and Dennis Davern. I am very grateful to jounalists like Tommy Garrett. Hopefully, he will receive a response from the LACSD soon.

Canyon News - Natalie Wood Yacht Captain Speaks, Exclusive

Reopen Natalie Wood Case Petition is Making News!

Author Campaigns to Have Natalie Wood Death Investigation Re-Opened - FishbowlLA

The petition is making news! Thank you ALL so much for contributing to this mission to bring Natalie the justice she, ANYONE, deserves!

New 5-star Amazon Review for "Goodbye Natalie Goodbye Splendour"

I am SO PROUD of this new, conscientious review posted today at Amazon. I truly appreciate this review. Nealus "gets it!"

This is a Well Written Book that I'd describe as a Murder Mystery., September 21, 2011


By Nealus - See all my reviews Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour (Paperback)

Marti Rulli is Natalie Wood's best friend - "NOW" - but she wasn't 30 years ago. She knew her as well as we all knew her back then.

Marti Rulli has brought to life a friendship we all can have now with Natalie Wood - because Marti Rulli is teaching us about the reasons for us to keep Natalie in our memories - every day.

And now I believe I would like to call Marti Rulli - my friend too - for her sacrifices in order to get this book published.

What she has done in GNGS with Dennis Davern - is to bring out from him - the honesty and trustworthiness Natalie's Memory Deserves - and this is just miraculous.

What Marti Rulli has done - was to pour her life and sanity into this project - for so many. GNGS has hidden inside of it - an actual autobiography of Marti's and Dennis's Trials and Tribulations in helping Dennis Davern be able to stay on course to do what he finally accomplished. Sharing the Truth.

The heartache one learns in this book could only be shared with us by these two strong loving and caring human beings.

Marti Rulli says: " But Somehow, Natalie Wood ended up in the water she feared her entire life. Common sense - all I had to go on when I started my Quest for Truth - Added to all I have learned since, screams out for a closer, professional look into Wood's Death. "

My Pen name is " Nealus "

I dusted off my Autobiography in '05 - written 20 years before.... "An Inch From Murder" and I published it. An Inch From Murder: My Life As A Male Victim Of Sexual Child Abuse

I feel extremely proud to have experienced Marti Rulli and Dennis Davern's outstanding work - and she has spent far more than my 20 years - bringing GNGS to us.

As an Author - I feel tremedous empathy for your sweat and tears.

Marti Rulli said: " Natalie Deserves Her Justice "

Tommy Garrett's Second Article in Petition Quest for Natalie Wood

The Petition and statements have been received at the LA County Sheriff's Headquarters. Hopefully, the official request will be taken seriously.

Canyon News - Natalie Wood Death Investigation, Exclusive

Natalie Wood - From here to eternity (1979) pt5

Natalie won a Golden Globe for her performance in "From Here to Eternity" - a 6 hour TV movie aired in 1979.
Natalie could've been at the Emmy's tonight, either presenting, or possibly even winning one.
She would've been a young 73. This, or any of the 30 previous years could have been her year for another Golden Globe, an Oscar, or an Emmy.

Natalie Wood's death: a convoluted case

One of the reasons Natalie's death information became so scattered is because many elements, or comparments, and PEOPLE, surfaced over the years that were right there from the very beginning. A thorough, INTITIAL investigation could have eliminated the "mystery" and convoluted information the case has grown into, but, as we all know, there was NOT a thorough investigation into Natalie's death. There were a few questions asked of the three surviving cruise participants and then an "accidental drowning" ruling from a coroner's office that was put under pressure to close the case fast.

The compartments of the case are:

1) The LA County Sheriff's Department: Rasure felt there was no need to investigate further than the three survivors and he bought their answers of "We don't know what happened" even after catching Dennis Davern is a contradictory statement about having spent Friday night in a motel room with Natalie in Avalon. He ignored the horribly messy master stateroom and shattered glass all over the main salon, calling it "rolling seas." He didn't check any of the cruise survivors for corresponding scratches or bruises. He did not issue a breatalyzer for any of them. He sent them home and dealt with their attorneys.

2) The medical examiner's office announced there had been an argument aboard the yacht, but was quickly contradicted by the LACSD. Noguchi went on to theorize -- He claimed there were scratches on the dinghy, Rasure says Noguchi fabricated the scratches. (Roger Smith saw scratches we later find out)
  a) Noguchi says Natalie's jacket weighed 50 lbs when wet (out of water) .. an exaggeration of more than 60% -- down jackets don't weigh 50 lbs out of water, nor do they drag a person down IN the water.
  b) Noguchi THEORIZED Natalie received her numerous bruises while trying to mount a float-away dinghy. If so, she could never have kept the socks on her feet.
 c) Noguchi THEORIZED there was a banging dinghy distrubing Natalie's sleep. She never went to sleep. She also didn't perform boat chores in the rain in the middle of the night. Nor did she ever go "star-gazing" in the dark ocean in the middle of the night (especially with a broken headlight on the dinghy...easily discovered IF questions had been asked.)
 d) Noguchi THEORIZED Natalie died around midnight. A PROFESSIONAL Coast Guard Captain (Roger Smith) tried to be vocal and let authorities know that he believed Natalie had drowned just shortly before being pulled from the ocean.

3) Roger Smith: tried to be vocal but was totally ignored. This Coast Guard Captain who cared about safety and TRUTH had wanted to let the detectives know that Wagner's PRIMARY concern when Smith showed up with the Avalon Sheriff was that his image not be affected. Wagner said, "I didn't call for help because I have an image to protect and didn't want publicity...I thought she (Natalie) was off somewhere partying on another boat because that's the kind of woman she is." The detectives never heard this information because they IGNORED Roger and the medical examiner's office.

4) Marilyn Wayne heard, along with two others, Natalie's cries for help from drowning. She was accused of wanting her fifteen minutes of fame by Detectuive Rasure...then and later on various documentaries. She CAME FORWARD and was totally ignored.

5) Lyndon Taylor sat next to the Wagner party at Doug's Harbor Reef Restaurant. He saw the bitterness and coldness in Wagner's eyes that night..he saw the anger mounting, the trouble brewing at the Wagner table.  He worried about them. He was never questioned and was moored only a football field away.

6) Paul Wintler, an Island worked, was the first to responed to the scene after Wagner's lame call, "Someone is missing" -- over TWO HOURS after Natalie was "missing." Wintler thought Wagner was overacting with screams of "Where is she, where is she?" as he took Wagner ashore. Why hadn't Wagner screamed "Where is she?" to Dennis? A few good detective questions could gotten to the bottom of that question, but Paul wasn't interviewed until Suzanne Finstad was writing a biograpghy 20 years later.

7) Harbormaster Doug Oudin should have called the Coast Guard immediately but deferred to Wagner. 

8) Pam Eaker: first to write a report for Detective Rasure. She reported (per Wagner's answer) that an immediate search started for Natalie. A makeshift search didn't start until 2:00 A.M. and a professional search not until close to 5:00 A.M. That's a far cry from "immediate." (NATALIE HAD BEEN MISSING SINCE SHORTLY AFTER 11:00 PM)

9) Doug Bombard. He was the "big help" -- he went searching for Natalie by boat, and said he'd watch over the Splendour when everyone left the scene. The LACSD did NOT secure the yacht properly. One of Bombard's waitresses (and her boyfriend) spent the night on the Splendour to help Bombard "watch over it" -- can that get any less professional?

10) Everyone bought "accident" -- WHO COULD HARM NATALIE? was the going speculation.

11) Christopher Walken was not forthcoming about the bottle smashing, nor about the true atmosphere of the weekend. He has told a few different stories throughout the long years.

12) Robert Wagner contradicted himself numerous times since the fateful cruise. His contradictions have been excused by authorities throughout the years.

13) Dennis Davern: the only eye and ear witness who is willing to cooperate with authorities...has been willing to cooperate for decades ...but falls into that list of those the authorities choose to ignore and continue to ignore.

14) It was a bungled investigation. No question about it. No one communicated...no one investigated ... no one interrogated.

FOUR of the above people have submitted their official statements to the authorities, along with our petition. Dennis, Marilyn, Roger, and Natalie's sister, Lana Wood, have all now asked, by written statement, that the authorities look into the convoluted mess Natalie's Wood's death scenario has become, all because they closed the case way too soon, way too fast.  Back in Novemebr 1981, it would've been so easy to determine that Natalie's Wood's husband was involved with Natalie Wood's death. To what degree was THEIR job to determine. A mother of two, a legendary actress, a beautiful person, was denied her due justice.  Her death was not a convoluted case: it was a rather simple one.

How sad and tragic, to this very day.
***

Five Years in a Row!

My favorite Cliff Lee catch - the nonchalant pop up catch in the 2009 World Series against the Yankees.

Roy Halladay pitched a no-hitter in the 2010 playoffs, but they didn't get to the big show.

Philadelphia Phillies are National League East Division Champions!


They did it tonight! I'm NOT jinxing them, I'm just CONGRATULATING them -- baseball fans will understand :-)
I'm just a fan who loves baseball, loves the Phils, always have, always will, and this has been such an interesting season. I admire lots of teams (National and American) but I'm a dedicated Phils fan who simply is so happy for them tonight.

I know it's not over, but we're happy to have Hunter Pence (from the Astros) now going into his first post-season experience with the Phils (what a unique player!). And, the luckiest thing of all was when we got Cliff Lee back last December, who is in the running for the Cy Young award this year, along with Halladay, too, two Phillies star pitchers.

It's just so relaxing to kickback on hectic or trying days to watch a good baseball game, and even better on a good day! Whatever teams make to the series, I'll be watching. And, I love the line: PLAY BALL!

GO PHILS!

Natalie Wood Petition sent to L.A. County Sheriff -Canyon News Exclusive!

The petition and six statements have been prepared and sent to to the L.A. County Sheriff. The petition has gathered signatures from American citizens as well as from caring people around the world. The petition is accompanied by comprehensive statements from myself, Dennis Davern, Lana Wood, Marilyn Wayne, Roger Smith and a certified, licensed psychologist, and along with caring media attention, our request for the reopening of Natalie's case may finally have impact. The following article will also be in Sunday's newspaper in L.A.

Canyon News - Natalie Wood, Not Forgotten, World Exclusive


 

Hacked

My computer (AOL address) was hacked, so if any of you receive an email from me that has no subject or an undescribed link inside DO NOT OPEN IT. I will always include a subject headline, and never send a link that I do not identify. I ran a scan and removed all Malware and also changed my security information, so everything should be fine now, but please ignore any emails you may find suspicious.

This problem occurs with AOL and Yahoo constantly. Never open a link that you find questionable... from any sender.

NEVER FORGET

On this 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy of 2001, may we remind ourselves to never forget the horror of the terrorism we faced. Our country united like never before, and we gave of ourselves like never before in the early aftermath of the mega-tragedy, and then slowly but surely we divided again. A quote I use in my manuscript about 9/11 is one we ALL can live by:

My country is the world and my religion is to do good  - Thomas Paine

To this day, I shudder thinking about how our pulses raced as we were shocked that day beyond belief.   

From my manuscript about the 9/11 tragedy, I want to mention one of the most inspiring people I met and interviewed in the aftermath of that horrible day. His name is Bill and he was a broken man after what he witnessed. I helped Bill through the weeks in the aftermath, but I can't express how much Bill helped me.
Here's his story as copied from my manuscript:

Bill Kilpatrick had been heading for the Battery Tunnel, in his truck, when his life suddenly changed, he insists, forever. Bill had trouble telling his story, and called me. I had given out my cell phone number, in trust… I heard the pain in his voice…pure agony... I lived it with him. He felt terrible that he couldn't recover the bodies of those who jumped from the towers, so that the loved-ones of those people could have a body for a funeral. What he witnessed while attempting to help will play out forever in his mind.
In Bill's words:

Driving south toward the Battery Tunnel, I was waiting for the traffic light to change. I was on the West Side Highway when I heard a jet to my left side, and I became puzzled, knowing that jets are not permitted to fly so low over the city. As the traffic light changed to green, I started moving, but kept my eye on the low-flying jet. It appeared to be heading toward the WTC.

I drove by the walkway, near Vesey Street, and saw the jet tilt to the right, just slightly enough to be directly on course with the North Tower. In immediate reaction to this sight, I screamed out loud, “Pull up! Pull up, Dear God, pull up! Please pull up the jet!”

It slammed into the Tower.

Passing Vesey Street, I almost hit a few people who were running through the streets, toward the Tower. I attempted to pull over to my right, by Battery Park City, but there was no place to park, and I could not make a U-turn. So, I kept moving toward Battery Tunnel, then finally, said ‘to hell with this’ and pulled my SUV onto the sidewalk, and jumped out.

A passerby said to me, “Don’t leave your vehicle there. They’ll tow it.”

I looked at him incredulously, and said, “You must be joking, Pal! Do you see what the hell is going on here?”

He said it wouldn’t matter, that ‘they will tow it anyway.’

I didn’t care. I started running toward The Towers. There were people running, screaming and crying. Some people were yelling up to the Tower occupants, those hanging out of the high windows, and screaming to them to not jump.

“Help is on the way,” they yelled up to the tower occupants.

I knew the people in the towers couldn’t even hear them. I also knew help would be helpless.

I didn’t hear the second plane incoming. The coffee cart guy on the corner near the Towers was packing up his cart, getting ready to move out. At that moment, I heard the loudest BOOM I’ve ever heard in my life.

All hell broke out. Debris was everywhere, falling and flying through the air. There was a crystal-like substance that stung my eyes. I kept on trying to get closer to the Towers, but it became clear that I couldn’t. It became clear that this event would change the entire city...the world.

I kept looking up as much as I could between the debris and smoke falling down on us…then I saw people from the top floors of the Towers either falling or jumping to their deaths.

I was across from the South Tower, near the parking lot, where there were bodies all over the place. Many were burned and charred and some just black with soot or gray dust.

I lost it. I just lost it at this point.
I didn’t collect my thoughts, I just acted on auto-response, and tried to move some of the bodies.

The cops were screaming at all of us to move away. “Run, and get out of here,” they yelled. You were allowed to stay in the area only if you were a cop or fireman. I am neither, just a New Yorker.

For the first time in my life, I felt completely helpless and useless. I started crying uncontrollably, and panic attacks started. There was so much happening…people were confused and in shock. It seemed we all lost sense of direction. You knew where you headed, but not where you wanted to go.

There was suddenly a sea of fireman around and fire trucks coming from every direction…the tunnel, West Side Highway…from the FDR…it seemed the whole city was suddenly there.

I ran back to my truck and it was covered with paper and other debris. I figured I’d better get it out of the area, so I got onto the FDR, and that’s when the South Tower fell. I pulled over and watched with everyone else, in horror. Then, we saw the second Tower come crashing down, too. There was nothing any one of us could do.

It hurt so much to watch the loss of life. Why did this happen? I still cannot believe this has happened. The entire scene is an image my eyes refuse to accept, yet I see it over and over again. A feeling of emptiness overwhelms me since. I find it difficult to not cry everyday when something about the tragedy is mentioned. Any small reminder takes me right back to the live scene and causes me to have the same, awful, helpless feeling I experienced while watching.

I wish it all could disappear from my life forever, but it will all be with me until the day I die.

Natalie Wood Dominick Dunne Samantha Eggar Malibu August 8, 1965 Part 2

I've always, always admired Dominick Dunne but never had the courage to approach him about Natalie's death because I wasn't sure how close he was to the surviving Wagner family, even though his relationship with Natalie goes way back as this video shows. I simply did not want to intrude. He had had his share of tragedy, too, as his daughter was murdered by her boyfriend, and she was buried not far from Natalie's gravesite.

When the galley proofs were printed for "Goodbye Natalie Goodbye Splendour" I had no idea the editor at Phoenix Books had sent one to Dominick, who was hospitalized at the time, nearing his end. Dominick possessed a penchant for justice like no other and his writings and journals were always spot on the "right side of things." To have learned that GNGS was the last book he read, and that he gave his stamp of approval and told my editor, "I'm glad the truth of her death is out there now" is an honor I will take to my grave.

Natalie and Dominick admired each other so much. I will always admire both of them.

Petition gets submitted next week!

Whenever Dennis and I are interviewed, we are asked the same opening question virtually every time. I've been defining my usual answer to the going question "Why 30 years later?"

Although I've tried for over 27 years to get the right people to listen, the reason Natalie's death is still important 30 years later is obvious: there was never a proper investigation. So, I intend to answer that question with a bit more clarity in future interviews, and yes, although I believe the petition is about the importance of justice, there's something more to it regarding Natalie's case.

Everyone deserves justice in death, especially in a suspicious scenario such as Natalie's, but it was her very celebrity and character in life that dealt her a bad hand for justice--almost as if nothing sinister could be involved for Natalie in death.

The sheriff's department didn't want a media frenzy, and the media didn't want a botched case, so dynamics and egos were involved that might not have existed had Natalie been a Jane Doe from Anywhere, USA.
A Jane Doe might've received more justice because the separate departments and media might not have clashed in a hurry to close the case, thus the questions. They certainly underestimated the legendy character already established in Natalie. Natalie transcended "Hollywood." They also underestimated the character of many people in the public--people who will not tolerate botched cases--people who expect our justice system to perform within the letter of the law. Flying the two surviving celebrities home immediately was not within the letter of the law. The celebrity involved obviously clouded the judgments of investigators.

Natalie Wood will be seen as long as there is electricity! Natalie made several CLASSIC movies. She is at the heart of our ever defining Hollywood. Is there a high school in America whose drama department hasn't produced West Side Story? If there is, they'll get to it one day. People will be watching Natalie Wood movies until our world is in the dark.

Therefore, any person of that stature especially deserves to be known in death in the ceermonious manner she was known in LIFE. Natalie was a good-hearted person, and yes, she may have been the first to say, "I'm no different than any other person" but Natalie was different in ways we appreciate. Therefore, she should be remembererd with TRUTH as well as with JUSTICE. She did not "get drunk and fall off a boat" and no one, especially her former husband, should be swaying the thinking with statements such as, "When she left us...." or "We think she was trying to quiet a dinghy..."

THERE WAS NO BANGING DINGHY and Natalie didn't "leave anyone."

She is with us forever through her heartfelt work, and the last place she wanted to be on the last night of her life was on an open deck near the water she feared her entire life. She was going to bed, angry, yes, because her husband had just smashed a wine bottle in her co-star's face while screaming accusations, but there was still only one place Natalie had her sights on that night, and that was a warm bed, safe in her stateroom aboard her yacht. Instead, she suffered for her existence in the cold ocean currents, and HER HUSBAND made sure no one went looking for her in a timely, urgent search.

Natalie's death is one of the most tragic and terrifying on record, and was swept under the celebrity rug of privilege most likely because everyone felt, "No one would ever harm, let alone kill, Natalie Wood." 

Petition Signer #768 says it all:

I suspect you are already aware of the glaring discrepancies in this case. Perhaps you feel past mistakes don't impact on the LACSD today. You would be mistaken. People want to know that loved ones counted for something and got every measure of justice they were due. If it happened yesterday or 30 years ago we need to know that justice matters to the LACSD and the pursuit of it transcends timelines. Ms. Wood deserves that. We all do. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere". MLK JR

Reopen Investigation of Natalie Wood's death Petition

Please sign!

Reopen Natalie Wood Case Pettion still gathering signatures

Here's another powerful comment made at the petition today (addressed to the LACSD): Signer #765

Review your former colleague's work and see what you think. First suspect in a wife's murder? The husband. This husband was choppered away from the crime scene before interrogation. This husband has changed his story in writing many times. The facts do not match the story. Especially the crime scene. Several witnesses have been ignored and discounted yet they still stand ready to tell the truth about that night. Who won't talk? The husband. Still satisfied with the "investigation"?

Reopen Natalie Wood Death Investigation Petition

Natalie Wood's death was a fast closed case, but I still consider it a "cold case" thirty years later as does the following particular signer of the petition. The petition will be submitted next week along with several signed declarations from key people involved in the initial short-lived investigation.

If you haven't signed or know of anyone who might want to sign, please pass this on. The petition has had very little promotion, yet includes over 760 signatures. For now, we are relying on word of mouth, so please help so that we can get as many signatures as possible before next week. Remember: a signer can remain anonymous publicly.

I thank the caring person who started the petition. It makes a statement in and of itself, yet the many comments prove that people were never satisfied with the way Natale's case was handled. I thank each and every one of you for caring as well. Why does it matter 30 years later? My answer is simple. Injustice ALWAYS matters.

Signer #757 Comment:
From the very minute I saw the tragic footage of Natalie being recovered from the water, I suspected Robert Wagner in some form of foul play. It's a damn shame the California justice system decided to give this man a free pass, but that wouldn't be the first time they screwed up. It is now time for JUSTICE FOR NATALIE and this case needs to be reopened before the guilty party passes away peacefully in his sleep. This was no accident. It's a 30 year old cold file.

Reopen Investigation of Natalie Wood's death Petition

Thank you.

Labor Day Wishes

Even when she frowned, she was beautiful

Hope you all have a nice Labor Day weekend, the unofficial end of summer. Please remember what I've been saying for the past few months: that this will be Natalie's year. It will be. Have a great weekend.