The 30-year-old mysterious death of Natalie Wood has been reopened by Los Angeles County homicide detectives.
The former star drowned in 1981 after a night of drinking and drugs aboard a yacht with her husband Robert Wagner and movie star Christopher Walken.
Agents have decided to reopen the case after an undisclosed source came forward with new information. According to the Los Angeles Times officials plan to interview the yacht’s captain Dennis Davern.
Gawker reports that:
A [new] witness on a nearby boat recalled hearing a woman’s cries for help around midnight that lasted for 15 minutes. “Someone else said, ‘Take it easy. We’ll be over to get you,’” she said. “It was laid back…There was no urgency or immediacy in their shouts.”
In the captain’s book Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour , Davern tells of a night filled with drinking and Quaaludes. He says an argument erupted between Robert Wagner and Walken, followed by a shouting match between Wood and Wagner in their private cabin.
Later in the night Davern says he was told that Natalie Wood was missing and was then told to avoid calling the Coast Guard.
Investigators later closed the case, determining that Wood had fell into the sea while attempting to board the yacht’s dingy.
Learning of the reopened investigation Wagner issued a public statement in which he said he welcomes a new investigation. In the meantime officials are remaining tight lipped about their new investigation, only releasing the following statement:
“Recently sheriff’s homicide investigators were contacted by persons who stated they had additional information about the Natalie Wood Wagner drowning. Due to the additional information, Sheriff’s homicide bureau has decided to take another look at the case.”
Do you think this case can still be solved 30-years after it occurred?