On November 29, 1981 Natalie Wood, her husband Robert Wagner and their friend Christopher Walken took a boat ride to Catalina and had a few drinks. Natalie and her husband reportedly got in an argument on the boat and at one point she left the two men and that was the last time she was seen alive by the two men. It has been reported when Wagner went to bed that night she was not there. That’s because the beautiful actress was dead, she had somehow fallen overboard. The coroner at the time ruled her death accidental, but people have believed that her husband was in some way involved with her no longer be hearing her. Something he has denied numerous times.
Now days short of the 30 year anniversary, a book is about the be released that is co-authored by Dennis Davern, who was the captain of the boat that they were on that fateful night. In that book he tells the story of what he remembers that happened that night and it is not what he originally said. His co-author Marti Rulli spoke with
TMZ and she says the captain said there was a very heated argument between the husband and the wife and at one point Wagner smashed a wine bottle against the table and accused Walken of wanting to sleep Natalie. She then says the captain said, “At that point, Walken returned to his cabin and Natalie and Robert went to their state room. According to the Captain, he heard a loud argument between the couple and thumping sounds, and eventually silence.” The captain shortly afterwards went to the deck and was told Natalie was missing. He claims that he wanted to call the Coast Guard, but was told by Wagner not to because he wanted to keep it quiet. Hours later the call was made, but it was too late.
Rulli tells TMZ that captain was not honest with authorities 30 years ago because of what Wagner and his lawyers told him to say. Now the captain is telling his story and the LA Sheriff’s office is listening. They are reopening one of Hollywood’s most notorious deaths and it will be interesting to see what they find out. Will they finally really find out what happened that night? Or will it remain a mystery as it has done since 1981.
Robert Wagner has time and time again said it was accident issued this statement to TMZ about this latest development. He said, “Although no one in the Wagner family has heard from the LA County Sheriff’s department about this matter, they fully support the efforts of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept.” The statement continues, “[The Wagners] trust they will evaluate whether any new information relating to the death of Natalie Wood Wagner is valid, and that it comes from a credible source or sources other than those simply trying to profit from the 30 year anniversary of her tragic death.”
As someone who is really interested in stories of that night, I am curious to find out what they will learn. I have seen a few documentaries of that night and I have been wondering if there was any truth to them, soon we will learn a little more.
