The investigation into the death of Natalie Wood has been reopened, and once again, her then-husband Robert Wagner, now 87, is a person of interest. It’s been over 36 years since the actress drowned off of Catalina Island, where she had been on her yacht with Wagner and actor Christopher Walken. The Los Angeles County Sheriff wants to have another sit-down interview with Robert Wagner to finally get to the bottom of what happened to Natalie Wood that night.
Robert Wagner Is Once Again A Person Of Interest According To The LAPD
Since 2012, when Natalie Wood’s death certificate was altered from “drowning” to “drowning and other undisclosed factors,” a shadow of suspicion has been cast over Robert Wagner to share information he has omitted thus far. Natalie Wood’s sister, Lana Wood, has attempted to confront Wagner, urging him to tell the L.A. County Sheriff what he knows.
Last year, Lana Wood confronted Robert Wagner publicly and had someone videotape the interaction. Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department says he is eager to see the video himself.
“I’m interested in seeing the video to hear what he says, and seeing his reaction.”
On the video, Robert Wagner reacted angrily to accusations from Lana Wood.
“Lana, why would you even bring up anything like that? I have talked to everybody. You’ve accused me! You accused me of murdering her!”
Robert Wagner is a ‘person of interest’ in Natalie Wood’s 1981 death, investigators say https://t.co/M4C2xj0itR
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 1, 2018
Investigators Want To Interview Robert Wagner Again About The Night Natalie Wood Died
Investigators said that they want to talk to Robert Wagner to ask him again if there are details about the night Natalie Wood drowned that Wagner might have overlooked, says Page Six . Natalie Wood, then 43, was on her yacht, the Splendour, named for her role in the movie Splendour in the Grass , with Wagner, Walken, and Captain Dennis Davern on the night she died. Reportedly, she set off in a dinghy after she had a spat with Wagner.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lt. John Corina recently told CBS News that Robert Wagner is more of a person of interest than ever.
“As we’ve investigated the case over the last six years, I think he’s more of a person of interest now. I mean, we know now that he was the last person to be with Natalie before she disappeared.”
Wagner, Walken, and the original investigator into the death of Natalie Wood all believe that her passing was a tragic accident, but Corina says that people’s accounts keep changing, and that is troubling to him.
“I haven’t seen [Wagner] tell the details that much all the other witness in this case. I think he’s constantly changed his story a little bit. And his version of events just don’t add up.”
And Lt. Corina isn’t the only member of the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department that has doubts about the death of Natalie Wood and what might have transpired that night between Wood and Wagner. Wood’s body had a number of unexplained bruises which trouble many investigators.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Det. Ralph Hernandez said that the body of Natalie Wood didn’t look like a drowning victim.
“She looked like a victim of assault. We have not been able to prove this was a homicide. And we haven’t been able to prove that this was an accident, either. The ultimate problem is we don’t know how she ended up in the water.”
Robert Wagner is named a person of interest in death of his late actress wife Natalie Wood 36 years after she drowned https://t.co/AflN782gQQ
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) February 1, 2018
A New CBS Documentary Will Look Into What Happened With Wagner And Wood That Night
A new documentary about the death of Natalie Wood will air on CBS Saturday night on 48 Hours , reports the Daily Mail . The CBS investigation will include information about Wagner, Walken, and Wood all being drunk the evening Natalie Wood drowned, and the rumor, shared by her sister, Lana Wood, that Robert Wagner accidentally pushed Natalie Wood overboard. Lana Wood said that after Natalie Wood went overboard, Wagner refused to do anything to help her. Lana Wood also stressed that Natalie Wood was afraid of the water and doesn’t believe she would ever have gotten into a dinghy alone at night.
Lt. Corina will not say publicly that he believes that Natalie Wood was a victim of murder or that Wagner did her harm.
“I think it’s suspicious enough to make us think that something happened.We have not been able to prove this was a homicide. And we haven’t been able to prove that this was an accident, either. The ultimate problem is we don’t know how she ended up in the water.”
Robert Wagner and Christopher Walken have not participated in the new documentary for CBS, but Captain Dennis Davern has, and he still seems to be haunted about his last night on the boat belonging to Wood and Wagner.
“I remember people coming on to the boat, saying they had found Natalie Wood. I just couldn’t believe it.”