The Red Flags in Natalie Wood's death

In another post's comment it was mentioned that the 4-hour wait to call the Coast Guard should have been the biggest "red flag" in investigating Natalie Wood's death. Although I agree, I can understand how those four hours were confused and misconstrued, being that a local call went out that night at approximately 1:30 with the words, "Someone is missing from out boat."  Then, with everyone telling the first responder, Pam Eaker, that they had been searching throughout the entire night, I can also understand how the words "there was an immediate search" got posted on a report. All of this, yes, was very poor police work, but it happened in all of the confusion. Then, because this was a high-profile case that the media would be on top of, the authorities were anxious to close it fast. All of the facts got squeezed into a tidy little quick, "the family dined with a guest, Wood wandered off, husband called for help upon noticing she was gone--tragic case."

It would have taken only a FEW good questions at the scene to have reached more good questions, but those initial good questions were never asked, and then the coroner took over and when the detectives saw that his observations were drawing more media attention, members of the Hollywood community and the police department put a quick stop to it. Basic medical examiner questions, thus answers, were halted.

The red flag I determined most ignored was the condition of Natalie's body. It was full of bruises, most superficial, but many highly questionable ones, like the small circular bruises at her ankles, and the noticeable facial abrasion.  Even back in 1981, my first thought was domestic violence. How could this not have been a medical examiner's FIRST thought?

But, the biggest red flag that always struck me was Natalie's KNOWN fear of dark water, especially ocean water. She'd talked about her fear in article interviews and on TV show interviews. Even if the detectives didn't know about her fear, they could have ASKED! All of Natalie's friends and family knew about it. Not one of them were asked a question. Phone records were not checked until Suzanne Finstad took on her investigation. It would've been so easy to have learned that Natalie tried to call her sister Lana and others the Saturday morning before she returned to the Splendour. Hundreds should've been interviewed, not just a few restaraunt workers and guests. Marilyn Wayne was never interviewed!

At the scene, having intervewed a few restaurant waitresses and NOT the Coast Guard Captain who found Natalie is more evidence of a really shoddy case investigation.

The petition will be turned in soon...Here's a suggestion....if you have a Facebook page, post the petition there and ask your FB friends to post it to their friends. Every day someone new is signing. It would be helpful to turn in the petition with 1,000 signatures or more.  Thank you to all who've already helped to spread the petition. One last cyber push can help tremendously. We want this case reopened this year, before Natalie's 30th year of injustice arrives in November.

Remember: Natalie's cry from the grave remains: "I am deathly afraid of water, especially water that is dark."

Reopen Investigation of Natalie Wood's death Petition

---