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A place to update and discuss facts surrounding the controversial, tragic death of legendary Hollywood film actress, wife and mother, Natalie Wood who drowned mysteriously Nov. 29, 1981 off Catalina Island. Thank you for visiting.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Natalie Wood Autopsy Information

Certainly in an investigation an autopsy report provides evidence that can be used to come to conclusions about questions that stem from varying witness accounts. Suzanne Finstad's book was first to suggest Coast Guard Rescuer Roger Smith claimed to have located the drifting dinghy. Restaurant employee Don Whiting always claimed to have discovered the dinghy with Natalie not aboard. Here in this copied page from Natalie's autopsy it is reported that Don Whiting described the condition of the dinghy when HE found it. Interestingly, this section of the report does not have Natalie "covered with a blanket" either, as Roger Smith claimed, but with a plastic sheet. Her coat was not on her body. When Dennis identified Natalie's body, her body was already at the Hyperbaric Chamber (used by the Island divers) and Natalie's eyes were still open, a sight that haunts him to this day. Some witnesses' recollections, no matter how "nice" or "professional" they are or claim to be, are sometimes off. There isn't a thing Dennis has said over the years that hasn't remained consistent, and his claims always pan out to correspond with official reports. When I gathered witness statements to submit to the LASD, despite what I personally thought about varying accounts, I did NOT influence, suggest any changes, or make ANY claims that weren't the EXACT words of the witnesses or parties contributing to the package I sent through an attorney to the LASD. There was one witness (from the 1981 weekend) whose report I withheld from the package only because his statement involved the forensic studies I didn't want revealed immediately so as not to convolute the package and possibly hurt its chances of being read (the LASD is a busy place.) That person's statement has been of great value in understanding the many theories in Natalie's case. Also claimed on Natalie's autopsy report is that there was NO Rigor Mortis when her body was pulled from the ocean at 7:44 A.M. the morning of Nov. 29, 1981. Natalie drowned, which means for some extent of time, whether minutes or hours, she had to have been alive while in the water. Hopefully professionals can come to some sort of conclusion for that question.
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9 comments:

  1. LylaJuly 15, 2012 at 10:49 AM

    Roger Smith's statement was very "off". Several of his statements have proven to be inaccurate when examining the documents connected to this case. Smith made it sound as if he found the dinghy and secured it. He did not. The dinghy was found by Whiting and Bill Coleman and was used in the search. By the time Smith came in contact with the dinghy it's value as evidence had been compromised. What he saw was the condition of the dinghy after it was used in the search. Also "off" is his memory of Miss Wood's body. He referred to a "blanket" covering her. That's a far cry from a plastic sheet. The red jacket was off her body which was a fact that was established early on, that it slipped off her body when she was pulled from the water. I would seriously doubt Smith's statements. I'm not calling him a liar, however, it's very clear that he does not recall details very clearly.

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  2. LylaJuly 15, 2012 at 10:53 AM

    Also it should be noted that Smith did not recall Natalie's red socks. These are important detail that slipped by him.

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  3. Marti RulliJuly 15, 2012 at 11:52 AM

    Lyla, I presume you meant blue socks, as reported. Sometimes the red coat is so prominent :-)
    Yes, Natalie was wearing plain old blue wool socks. Some people like to call them "slipper socks" or knee-highs. They were neither. Just plain regular blue wool socks, as Dennis saw and Smith did not. (Something no one would wear out onto a damp deck at night) ... no one ever checked to see if shoes were missing. The investigation never went that far. Smith also told me he does not recall any of the numerous fresh bruises on Natalie's body. Dennis told me about the bruises in the 1980's.

    The people who read GNGS and interpret it to mean that Dennis gave me his account some 25 years later aren't perceptive readers. The book, for crying out loud, tells exactly how each and every piece of his memory was revealed to me starting about 18 months after Natalie died. Dennis gave 90% of his details to me within the first few years after Natalie's death, at a time it was easy to recall conversations, details, etc. I remember one critic saying, "No one can recall words of a conversation 30 years later." Well, that's exactly why the first thing I had Dennis tell me in the 80s were about the conversations on Natalie's final weekend. Because what I wrote in 1984 wasn't published until 2009 doesn't mean Dennis told me the conversations decades later. Some people are so frustrating, like a screw to comprehension is loose in their head or something. Anyhow, those who don't want to accept truthful details won't accept truth no matter what, but I never felt as if I were wasting my breath or time. Natalie's case was reopened.

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  4. LylaJuly 15, 2012 at 12:15 PM

    Yes, Marti, I was thinking about the red jacket when I described the blue socks. Sorry about that, there is enough confusion in this case.

    Those who are new to this will assume that Dennis recently told his story. I wish they would read your book as you have detailed the timeline of Dennis' revelations. Some people are saying that he came out with this 30 years later whereas those of us who have been following the case know that Dennis made revelations very early on and those revelations were ignored. It seems to me that the member of the Sheriff's Dept, including Duanne Rasure, did not want to accept the fact that they were taken in and lied to. The reason it took so long to re-open this case is due to the fact that Dennis' revelations were ignored by the Sheriff's Dept back in the years following Natalie's death. Thankfully, someone saw that this case was not investigated properly and saw to it that it warranted a second look and so far the death certificate has been changed to Undetermined.

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  5. Marti RulliJuly 15, 2012 at 1:46 PM

    ...which is a step in the right direction, Lyla. Natalie's death is no longer considered accidental. There were far too many unanswered questions to close her case 30-some years ago so quickly. Thing is, no one was asking the questions except her fans. Authorities do not have time to worry about what fans think, because in many cases what fans think is distorted by emotion. I can't say I was never emotional over Natalie's case. In truth, I've tossed and turned many times over it, especially after seeing how my friend's life was so adversely affected by her death. Never once did vanity enter my mission to seek justice for Natalie. Not once. I truly felt for and acted on behalf of all those who cared so much.

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  6. AnonymousJuly 20, 2012 at 9:25 PM

    Hi Marti, just wanted to say how proud I'm of both you and Dennis. And when I talk of what you have done I do so as a friend with respect. Pam

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  7. Marti RulliJuly 20, 2012 at 9:31 PM

    Thank you Pam. I know how hard you tried to help throughout "the effort" and I will ALWAYS, always appreciate it.

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    Replies
    1. jacquelinebyrneNovember 28, 2012 at 6:54 PM

      Hi MartiStill those Authospy/Drawings.disturbe me!Even in your book!It brings it home!Can't believe the Bruises!!!And ,i haveto admit,reading these comments,don't you think such"simple"and important Details are / and should be taken on board,for want of better discripion!i must admit the lck of "Blog Actiation may still be musis o the Anti Believers!

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    2. jacquelinebyrneNovember 28, 2012 at 6:59 PM

      Meaning,Music to the "non" Believers!ie,Wgners supportere and General non belivers!




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