The question the authorities need to investigate: How did Natalie get into the water?

I've been having a FB discussion with a new reader who left a review at Amazon. Rebecca's amazement over William Holden's and Natalie's deaths occuring so close together is understandable. Rebecca and I (as many of us do) totally believe Stefanie Powers had NOTHING to do with Holden's death, but Rebecca suggested something I've often thought about. Did Holden's death factor into Wagner's mind? Did Holden's death in any way (in a sociopathic mode) help Wagner feel easier/justified in handling letting Natalie drown?


Rebecca and I discussed Wagner's book "Pieces of My Heart" and Rebecca noticed (and had the same reaction many probably wondered about) that Wagner titled two chapters rather shockingly:  (1) That Cunt Will Never Work in My Studio Again - with a glamour shot of Natalie under the caption.
Rebecca says "Sure, you read on and it was a comment made about Judy Garland but what purpose did this serve? Would you want a caption like that over a picture of your dead wife? Didn't he think his daughter's might read the book? And I am speechless about the Chapter Titled..."

(2) "... I Have a Frozen Cock - regarding David Niven. What grown men would be in a bathroom staring at Niven's penis in a brandy Snifter? Seriously! This is out of Wagner's book! Doesn't anyone else find this absolutely bizzare? He actually discusses how his friends like to use certain drugs when having oral sex. Not only are these comments in really bad taste - for a "doting" father or three girls, wouldn't he be embarrassed to have them read about this?"

Rebecca's questions are valid. Wagner's book is more than a book. In my opinion, it is additional evidence toward his attitude and silence about Natalie's death. There are many subliminal, revealing words in "Pieces" including Wagner saying he is responsible for Natalie's death. Are those words said in a confession manner? With remorse? Guilt release? Or possibly with sick pride?

Rebecca says: "The guy has issues and these are not the topics one would expect in a sappy book titled "Pieces of My Heart". He is clearly stunted in his emotional development. I have a grown son and he would never talk like Wagner."

Rebecca also had a lot of questions about the amount of drinking that transpired during Natalie's last cruise...I explained to Rebecca that Natalie had drunk a little more than usual, but Dennis says she was her normal, socializing self. It was Wagner who kept pouring down the hard stuff. Natalie had sipped a lot of wine, but not to the point of not being in control of herself.

And, as most people do, Rebecca created a scenario in her mind, using pieces of evidence to answer the question: How did Natalie get into the water?  It's what we all want to know but, what I appreciate about Rebecca's scenario is that she uses the facts provided in a logical manner. Here's Rebecca's compelling thoughts after finishing GNGS:

I think there was a struggle. The only thing I can't wrap my head around is, wouldn't her actually falling off the boat sobered him up? Wouldn't his natural instinct be to rescue her? Is it possible that he thought he killed her (strangulation) and then laid her to rest gently in the water? That's when the cold water might have brought her to consciousness and she started screaming for help. I guess so many scenerios could have occurred. I bet the argument was about Chris and him not wanting her to go back on to the film. She probably stood her ground and he lashed out. But all of this is conjecture.


Now that I have seen the boat diagram (from blog) and looked more closely at the autopsy photos, here is what I think happened. There is a violent fight in the cabin. Natalie tries to fight him off. She tries to flee into the salon but he grabs her.


Dennis heard Wagner yelling "get off this f-ing boat". Wagner is right-handed and that is why there are lacerations on the left side of her face. Wagner drags her by her right arm (hence the bruising on the front of her right wrist and forearm). Next thing they are on the back deck yelling. Wagner is fumbling with the dingy. Natalie is frightened and she tries to pull away. Wagner grabs her tighter. There is a struggle. He loosens his grip because he needs both hands to untie the dingy. She falls backward on the deck- kicking with her legs- pushing herself away from the swim step and the dingy. He right leg is stronger and you see more laceration on her right ankle and back of her right leg from the sandy coating on the deck. Natalie isn't going anywhere near the water or the dingy. At this point I doubt she had any socks or the down jacket. I doubt she was thinking about comfort plus the scratches on her ankle couldn't really be noticeable if she had socks on and the right sock would have fallen off if that was the case. Natalie manages to escape RJ momentarily as she crawls toward the master bedroom- getting bruises and scratches on he lower legs. She heads back to the master stateroom. Now the dingy is probably still secured by one line. There is no turning back now for Wagner. He knows from the look in her eye that their marriage is over. She'll never forgive him now and maybe she says as such. She tries to scream for help and is running away from him. He grabs her from behind and puts his hand over her mouth to muffle the screams (bruising to her nose and left side of her face)- Wagner is right-handed. She has consumed alcohol (.14 was over the legal limit of .10) and two capsules- of sleeping pills. So she has very little strength now. The dingy is still there, he quickly dresses Wood as if she was leaving. He is drunk and panicking. He puts on her red down jacket and a pair of socks to cover her scratches and bruises. She is semi-conscious. He tries to push her into the dingy knowing she'll totally panic but the dingy isn't steady because he released one of the lines and she falls into the water. She is disoriented and panicking. She comes out of the water gasping for air and pleading for help. Wagner says mockingly "We'll come and get you". She momentarily stops screaming until she realizes that she is floating away due to the down jacket's bouyancy. Wagner has to make a decision- save her or let her drown.

He just wants her to stop screaming.


Dennis approaches him at this point and Dennis knows that something is seriously wrong. It is only in hindsight that he knows she drowned. The search inside the yacht is to buy time for Wagner. He can't let Natalie live now. If he can't have her (and she would leave him) no one can.


She may have said some unforgiveable things in her anger. Things that Wagner still remembers to this day. They wouldn't have been kind words. That's why he put that revolting caption over her photo "That Cunt Will Never Work At My Studio Again". He pretended he was referencing Judy Garland but the message is clear. Natalie was a cunt in his view. He can't justify killing her if she wasn't.