Natalie Wood death MYSTERY: Detective says 'bruises could be from assault' 37 years on
NATALIE WOOD was found dead almost 40 years ago in California, believed to be from drowning after a trip on her yacht with husband Robert Wagner and co-star Christopher Walken, and and now a detective believes there could be more to her tragic death.
Natalie Wood: New details of death uncovered in podcast
The actress died in 1981 aged 43, with the cause of death recorded as an accident by drowning and hypothermia, an LA coroner previously said.
She was found dead wearing a nightgown and socks, floating in water two kilometres away from the yacht.
In a recent podcast titled Fatal Voyage: The Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood, investigative journalist Dylan Howard spoke with LA detective Ralph Hernandez.
He said: “As soon as we looked at the autopsy report and photos, the bruises just stood out.
“You look at the bruising and she looks like the victim of an assault."
He continued: “The fact is that we have a lot of information as to the events of what occurred that evening.
“We have a lot of evidence that tends to point to a very suspicious death and would certainly indicate the possibility of foul play.”
The detective added: “We’d love to solve this case. We’d love to come to the truth, whatever that truth might be.
“We would love to at least bring closure to the people that deserve to know the truth.”
In 2011, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office reopened the case into Natalie’s death, according to Rolling Stone.
Natalie Wood's sister demands Robert Wagner to 'tell the truth'
You look at the bruising and she looks like the victim of an assault.
The case is believed to have been reopened after, Dennis Davern, the captain of the boat, came forward to say he had lied in a statement decades earlier.
He alleged that Natalie and Robert had an argument on the boat before she went missing.
Express.co.uk has contacted Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and Robert Wagner for comment.
Natalie’s sister Lana previously claimed people should speak out and “tell the truth” claiming her sister would have not have gone into the sea alone, due to having a fear of water.
Speaking with Inside Edition, she said: “Never in a million years would she have left the boat undressed. She was in a night gown.
She added: “Stand up and tell the truth, I know things go bad.
“I know people lose their temper, I know bad things happen when you don’t want them to, so stand up and tell me what happened to her.”
A publicist for Robert Wagner declined to comment.
In 2016, Robert insisted he still mourns over the loss of Natalie in his book I Loved Her in the Movies.
He said: “I don’t think anyone ever gets over the loss of a loved one.
“It’s always with you. When Natalie died I thought my life was over.
“Natalie was such a special, wonderful woman.”
Natalie and Robert married twice, first in 1957 and again in 1972.
Speaking of tying the knot for a second time, he said: “It was different the second time around because we realised that we had a very special and marvellous love for each other.
“It was very fortunate that we found each other again.”