Robert Wagner Is Person of Interest in Natalie Wood’s Death, Police Say
Police investigating the death of Natalie Wood say her husband, Robert Wagner, is now a person of interest.
According to LA investigators, Robert Wagner has “constantly changed his story”, adding that his version of events does not “add up”.
Natalie Wood was found drowned in 1981 during a California boat trip with Robert Wagner and actor Christopher Walken.
The movie star’s death was ruled to have been an accident but questions have lingered.
Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s office told CBS News: “As we’ve investigated the case over the last six years, I think [Robert Wagner] is more of a person of interest now.”
“We know now that he was the last person to be with Natalie before she disappeared,” he said.
“I haven’t seen him tell the details that match all the other witnesses in this case.”
Lt Corina added: “I think he’s constantly changed his story a little bit. And his version of events just don’t add up.”
Conflicting versions of what happened on the yacht have contributed to the mystery of how Natalie Wood died in November 1981.
Family members have previously asked for authorities to re-examine the findings of the original investigation.
Natalie Wood, who starred in West Side Story and Rebel Without a Cause, had been partying the night before her death. The coroner’s investigation ruled she had been drinking and may have slipped trying to board a dinghy.
However, police say two new witnesses have corroborated accounts of a fight between Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood on the night she disappeared.
Witnesses say it appears Natalie Wood was the victim of an assault. The post-mortem report said the actress had bruises on her body and arms as well as a facial abrasion on her left cheek.
Image source Flickr
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The boat’s captain, Dennis Davern, told NBC News in 2011 that he lied to police during the initial investigation and that a fight between Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner had led to her death.
Robert Wagner, now 87, has not commented on the latest developments but acknowledged in his memoir that he had argued with his wife before she disappeared.
Investigators say he has refused to speak to them since the case was reopened in 2011.
In 2012, Natalie Wood’s death certificate was amended to reflect the uncertainty surrounding her death. It now says the actress died as a result of “drowning and other undetermined factors” and the circumstances of how she ended up in the water are “not clearly established”.
Natalie Wood was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar for her role in Rebel Without a Cause, and for best actress for Splendor in the Grass and Love with the Proper Stranger.
As a child, Natalie Wood featured in movies like Miracle on 34th Street and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.