Actor Robert Wagner named 'person of interest' in wife Natalie Wood's drowning: CBS

[JI7]

Source: cbs

Los Angeles County homicide detectives have named actor Robert Wagner a “person of interest” in the probe of the unexplained 1981 drowning of his wife, actress Natalie Wood, saying he was the last person with her before she vanished off Southern California.

Wood’s body was found floating in a Santa Catalina Island cove on the morning of Nov. 29, 1981, after a night of dining and drinking on the island and on a yacht with her husband Wagner, fellow actor Christopher Walken, and the boat’s captain.

Wood who was 43 and said to have had a lifelong fear of drowning and dark water, was found dressed for bed in a long nightgown and socks, but wearing a red down jacket over her nightclothes.

The coroner originally ruled the death of the Oscar-nominated actress, who starred in “West Side Story” and “Splendor in the Grass,” as an accidental drowning.

In his CBS interview, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lieutenant John Corina said attention has now fallen more heavily on Wagner.

“As we’ve investigated the case over the last six years, I think he’s more of a person of interest now,” Corina said. “I mean, we know now that he was the last person to be with Natalie before she disappeared.”

Corina also said Wagner’s story has shifted over the years “and his version of events just don’t add up,” Corina said.

A new coroner’s report from 2012 revealed that bruising was found on Wood’s arms and wrists and scratches on her neck, suggesting she was injured before hitting the water.

“She looked like a victim of an assault,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department detective Ralph Hernandez told CBS.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-wagner/actor-robert-wagner-named-person-of-interest-in-wife-natalie-woods-drowning-cbs-idUSKBN1FL6RX

[underpants]

1. Looks like someone is having a little Hart to Hart about this

Too soon?

That's skipping over the old really nasty joke about this whole tragedy.

[Kristofer Bry]

6. Does that joke have the word "float" in it?

If so, you made a wise decision not to tell it.

[underpants]

8. No

Shower ....washed ashore

[janterry]

2. Well, we all knew he should be.....

n/t

[BumRushDaShow]

3. IIRC he had already been suggested as a suspect those 30+ years ago

and had been cleared back then, although the whole sordid affair was... sordid.... and sad. He will be 88 this month.

[BigmanPigman]

4. He was pissed off since Wood and Walken were flirting all night.

[democratisphere]

5. Drinking and jealousy are never a good combination.

[Nitram]

21. Drinking, jealousy, and lots of water.

[samnsara]

24. add yacht and dark murky water to that combo

[Honeycombe8]

7. I don't believe it.

He'd been in love with her since they were teenagers. He adored her. There's nothing in his life to suggest he was violent with anyone in any way, ever. He has always been well liked by men and women, both...an easy going man who got along with people. Although he got into an argument with Christopher Walken on his yacht that night, over flirting with Natalie.

No way do I believe that he had anything to do with it. Except he delayed too long in calling authorities.

It's horrible they're dregging all this up again. Natalie's sister, I think, has been harping on this for years, convinced that someone besides Natalie is responsible.

[hlthe2b]

12. I don't like that this is being dredged up again now...

I do, however think it is possible that in a alcohol (drug and possibly jealousy-fueled) haze, an argument may have gotten out of hand. Her death may well have been accidental in that scenario or, as I guess is being suggested, perhaps Wagner might be guilty of manslaughter.

Regardless, Wagner is 87. This happened almost three decades ago. I see this as media exploitation at this point.

[Honeycombe8]

14. No way. She may have fallen in because of her drunken stupor coupled w/her water phobia.

She had a water phobia, where she would just freeze, if she had to go into water. She spoke of this before. She'd been this way since a child. When she was in Splendor in the Grass, there's a scene where she had to stand on rocks in rushing water in a stream, and she said she was petrified and wouldn't, then couldn't, do it at first. Then she froze when they made her do it. But she had no problem with being in boats, on top of water, she said. So I can see her falling in and panicking, esp if she was drunk, which she was that night.

Wagner just isn't violent in any way. Never has been, that I know of. He's he ultimate nice guy. Even with Walken, there was no physicality. Just words. He just doesn't go that way.

[hlthe2b]

19. I have been a fan of his for most of my life. I also think of him as you do, but one thing I have

learned in life is that under the "right" circumstances, especially under the heavy influence of drug, alcohol, and emotion, ANY of us are capable of a momentary "snap".

I learned this (along with my Father) in a very sad way... A friend of the family since childhood--my Father's best friend who he'd known nearly sixty years and who likewise had a loving relationship with his wife of fifty plus years (similar to what we think of with Wagner and Wood)and who likewise survived WWII-- only because his CO realized the man was too much of a pacifist to even defend himself and thus got him reassigned to clerical duties-- this man snapped and committed murder pf his wife and suicide. My Father was devastated and for a very long time thought he had NEVER really known this man--this friend of nearly sixty years.

This is why I know that we can never really know for sure.

That said, I think it just or even more likely that Wood fell under the influence of alcohol.

[BannonsLiver]

31. She had a "black water" phobia which means a fear of water at night. n/t

[lunamagica]

32. Actually, when they married she was a teenager, but he was 27 years old

[Honeycombe8]

34. My mistake, SHE was in love w/him from the start - he was a teen, she was a child....

She was a child actor. She met him when she was about 10, he was about 18. She told her mother at that time that she was going to marry him.

He was about 27 when they married. She was 19.

[stonecutter357]

9. K&R

[nocalflea]

10. I feel for her kids.

They love their dad by all accounts.

If this could have been resolved minus a confession, from anybody, it would have been by now.

[Number9Dream]

11. Unless proven otherwise, I believe it was an accident.

I essentially agree with what post 7 said upthread.
As a lifelong Natalie Wood fan, I've read a lot about her life, and that tragic night in 1981. From Suzanne Finstad's biography of Natalie, it was reported that the bay was blustery and choppy that evening. The inflatable dinghy had been tied to the yacht after they'd returned from Doug's Harbor Reef. It seems reasonable that Natalie either had tried to secure the dinghy from bumping the hull, or had tried to climb into the dinghy. She was wearing a down jacket, which kept her afloat, but was so heavy when saturated with water (later weighed at 30 pounds), that it prevented Natalie from pulling herself into the dinghy. The bruises mentioned in the second coroner's report could have been caused by her struggle to climb into the dinghy.

I still miss her, but thankfully we have her many wonderful films.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/14/natalie-wood-death-coroner-report_n_2472840.html

http://www.franksreelreviews.com/shorttakes/nataliewood/nataliewood.htm

[Honeycombe8]

17. I agree. As a movie buff, I've read a lot about Wood & Wagner.

She had a water phobia, of being in the water. But she had no problem with being in boats. She was drunk that night. I can see her falling in and panicking because of her phobia and drunkenness. I have a water phobia, too. I would not act the same as another person, if I were to fall in.

Wagner is just not physically violent in any way. He also adored Wood and had, since they were teens. There is no way he'd push her or anything. She was a tiny thing, and he was tall and big. Absolutely no way. He was also the rare monogamous married and family man, despite being a rich celebrity. He worshiped the ground she walked on.

It's far more likely she wandered around to do something w/the dinghy and fell in.

Someone in the family has been pushing this for decades. Her sister, I think.

[Liberalagogo]

13. Some people in this thread need to read these:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_of_interest

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/18/robert-wagner-suspect-natalie-wood_n_2506306.html

[Mc Mike]

15. Nope. Brainstorm. Nt

[rooboy]

16. Apparently in murder investigations, the first 48 hours are crucial. n/t

[bobbieinok]

18. Weren't there big probs in LA coroner office yrs ago? After so long, looks like trying for attn

[Iggo]

20. I feel all...I dunno...distracted.

[Bear Creek]

22. Always wondered

Stephanie Powers' boy friend was William Holden and he died within a few days from when Wood died. An accident? Wagner and Powers starred in Hart to Hart TV show.

[TexasBushwhacker]

37. Yes. Holden was an alcoholic

He was drunk, slipped and fell into a bedside table, lacerating his head. He bled to death. No sign of foul play.

[Bear Creek]

38. A little too

Convenient. Just an accident? Wood just an accident? Baloney.

[TexasBushwhacker]

39. Accidents happen, especially when alcohol is involved

Drunks fall down. My friend's dad took a header into a glass coffee table, was knocked unconscious and bled to death from a head lac. He wasn't even drunk. My drunk grandmother ran over her own foot with a lawnmower and lost a toe.

[Bear Creek]

40. Really

some times things are made to look like accidents.

[beachbum bob]

23. a waste of resources, just saying they don't have anything else to look at? Or is just some PR

bullshit preceding a book deal?

[still_one]

26. You are darn right. When asked if they have any evidence for an indictment, they said no

[beachbum bob]

27. just pr crap to distract, I suspect LA police dept isn't looking good to people for other reasons

[still_one]

28. They sure have made their share of mistakes and bad judgements

[OregonBlue]

29. This is so stupid. Unless they have new evidence that will prove he did it, it's still just

speculation and it's horrible to put the guy through the wringer again. He should sue them.

[Thomas Hurt]

30. Looks like he has always been a POI, I would imagine the Ramseys are still POIs...

in the death of their child. Not sure why this is news.

[Skid Rogue]

33. About damn time...

I'm a huge Natalie Wood fan and the facts surrounding her death have never added up. If she was murdered then that person should be found and held accountable. Perhaps, it is just a distraction, but I would love to see a tiny bit of justice here, too.

[Owl]

36. I agree.

[SharonClark]

35. Don't the LA County detectives have anything better to do?