How Did Actress Natalie Wood Die? New Evidence Revealed After 43 Years

One of Hollywood’s most shocking and tragic deaths is that of Natalie Wood, which happened in 1981. The actress, known for her roles in films like West Side Story and Rebel Without a Cause, drowned to death under mysterious circumstances. Her death was initially ruled as accidental drowning after she disappeared from the yacht “Splendour” off California’s Catalina Island at about 11 p.m. on November 28, 1981.

However, in 2011, the case was reopened,d and the cause of death was changed to “drowning and other undetermined factors.” 43 years after her death, two new witnesses have come forward with fresh evidence, increasing the chances of a grand jury investigation, which may indict her husband, Robert Wagner.

How did Natalie Wood die? 

Wood was on a Thanksgiving boat trip with her husband, Christopher Walken, and the boat’s captain, Dennis Davern, when she went missing. They all claimed to not know what happened that night. Her husband stated that she was not with him when he went to bed. How and why she left the yacht and many other details about the accident are still unknown, most especially how she got the bruises found on her body.

According to Ruli, the journalist and author who investigated Natalie Wood’s death, the new witness accounts align with the testimony of Davern, who claimed that a violent argument occurred on the yacht during the Thanksgiving weekend cruise. Wagner had allegedly accused Natalie Wood of having an affair with her co-star Christopher Walken, who was also on board. Davern alleged that Robert Wagner, then 51, became enraged, smashing a wine bottle on a table and engaging in a physical altercation with Natalie Wood just before she disappeared. He also said Wagner refused to allow him to call for help until four hours after Wood went missing. 

Witnesses confirm Robert Wagner was violent towards Natalie Wood on the night of her death

One of the new witnesses, a 17-year-old boy then, who was on a fishing boat close to the “Splendour,” the yacht owned by her husband, confirmed that Wood was physically abused by Wagner that night, which would explain the bruises found on her body. He revealed that he heard the Hollywood couple arguing and then Natalie Wood’s screams, which have haunted him to date. 

The second witness, an 80-year-old woman, alleged that Wagner put his hands on Natalie Wood in the dressing room. Wagner repeatedly explained that Natalie Wood had gone off on her own and never returned. His lawyers have also maintained their stance that the actor had nothing to do with his wife’s death. However, the 94-year-old actor has not responded to the recent allegations.