Natalie Wooden’s tragic 1981 drowning could have been exacerbated by a parka she was sporting.
Dr. Thomas Noguchi, a famend ‘Coroner to the Stars,’ believed the actress ‘may need lived’ if she had taken off the waterlogged jacket, in keeping with Anne Quickly Choi’s new biography, L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Dying in Hollywood.
The Splendor within the Grass star shockingly drowned to loss of life after falling from a yacht off Catalina Island throughout Thanksgiving weekend 1981, and her husband, actor Robert Wagner, now 94, has remained an individual of curiosity in her loss of life.
Dr. Noguchi carried out the 43-year-old star’s post-mortem, noting she was sporting a flannel nightgown, wool socks, and a pink parka on the time of her loss of life, which stays mired in thriller.
‘When he scrutinized the parka extra rigorously, he realized it weighed between thirty to forty kilos in its saturated state,’ Choi wrote, as per RadarOnline.
‘Her sodden parka had triggered her to drown,’ Dr. Noguchi — who additionally carried out the autopsies of Marilyn Monroe and Robert F. Kennedy — thought, as per Choi.
Natalie Wooden’s tragic 1981 drowning could have been exacerbated by a parka she was sporting, in keeping with a celeb coroner; Wooden pictured with husband Robert Wagner, circa 1960
Whereas inspecting Wooden’s physique, Noguchi discovered a big bruise on her proper arm, a quantity extra on her legs, in addition to an abrasion on her left cheek.
When he checked out her clothes, he famous that even over 24 hours later, her garments have been nonetheless soaking moist.
Dr. Noguchi believed that ‘the burden of her jacket had pulled her again down when she tried to climb into the dinghy.’
He speculated that if Wooden had ‘simply taken off the jacket, she may need survived.’
Even after contemplating the affect of the heavy parka, Noguchi remained perplexed as to why Wooden was unable to swim again to the yacht, which was solely a brief distance away.
He then thought-about her alcohol consumption within the hours earlier than, with toxicology studies revealing a blood alcohol stage of .12.
Dr. Noguchi then decided that ‘alcohol performed a major position in her loss of life.’
He additionally believed she appeared ‘decided to get away’ and thought of the chance that she could haven been trying to flee her husband.
Dr. Noguchi was later knowledgeable by an investigator that an argument had taken place between the then 51-year-old Wagner and 38-year-old actor Christopher Walken — now 81 — who was on the yacht as effectively.
The star shockingly drowned to loss of life after falling from a yacht off Catalina Island throughout Thanksgiving weekend 1981; Wooden and Wagner (left) on their boat Splendour, with captain Dennis Davern (proper), simply weeks earlier than she died
Dr. Thomas Noguchi, a famend ‘Coroner to the Stars,’ believed the actress ‘may need lived’ if she had taken off the waterlogged jacket, in keeping with Anne Quickly Choi’s new biography, L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Dying in Hollywood
Dr. Noguchi carried out the 43-year-old star’s post-mortem. ‘When he scrutinized the parka, he realized it weighed between thirty to forty kilos in its saturated state,’ Choi wrote, as per RadarOnline
‘Her sodden parka had triggered her to drown,’ Dr. Noguchi believed. He speculated that if Wooden had ‘simply taken off the jacket, she may need survived’; Woods seen with Wagner in 1980
‘All of us have been bowled over by the implications of this concept. It fell proper into the arms of those that had been speculating that some scandal on the yacht had contributed to the well-known star’s loss of life,’ Choi wrote of Dr. Noguchi’s recollections.
Though initially dismissed by Wagner’s legal professional, the actor later acknowledged that he and Walken had engaged in an argument whereas ingesting, about Walken’s issues relating to Wooden’s profession.
‘Wagner admitted that he had shouted at Walken, “Why the f**okay don’t you keep out of her profession? She’s acquired sufficient folks telling her what to do,”‘ in keeping with Choi.
‘Wagner then picked up an empty wine bottle and smashed it on a desk in a match of rage.’
The circumstances surrounding Wooden’s drowning stay shrouded in thriller. Essential particulars stay unclear, together with how she entered the water.
Wooden’s sister, Lana, beforehand emphasised her sister’s lifelong worry of water and incapability to swim, and argued that Natalie would by no means have voluntarily ventured into the water on her personal by dinghy.
The coroner’s report formally listed Wooden’s reason for loss of life as ‘drowning.’
L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Dying in Hollywood is ready to hit the bookstores on February 12, 2025.
Many different theories have circulated relating to Wooden’s loss of life, and Wagner has remained an individual of curiosity within the case.
In November of 2024, it was reported that Wooden screamed for her life whereas hurling accusations at her A-list actor husband, one of many final folks to see the West Facet Story star alive.
The coroner’s report formally listed Wooden’s reason for loss of life as ‘drowning’, although many theories have circulated relating to her loss of life, and Wagner has remained an individual of curiosity
In November of 2024, it was reported that Wooden screamed for her life whereas hurling accusations at her A-list actor husband, one of many final folks to see the West Facet Story star alive
It has been reported that Wagner and actor Christopher Walken, who was on the yacht as effectively, had gotten into an argument; Wooden and Walken seen in a nonetheless from 1981 movie Brainstorm
That recent account of one in every of Hollywood’s most stunning and scandalous deaths – together with one from a dying 80-year-old girl – was given to writer Marti Rulli, who shared them with RadarOnline.com.
Wooden and Wagner have been an almost unparalleled Hollywood energy couple when the actress shockingly drowned to loss of life in 1981.
The gorgeous revelations from two new witnesses have probably painted Wooden’s ‘Hart to Hart’ TV star husband Robert as her alleged killer, after the case was reopened years in the past.
Rulli advised Radar she believes the brand new accounts might warrant a recent grand jury investigation of Wooden’s loss of life at midnight waters close to their yacht ‘Splendour’ off California’s Catalina Island at about 11 p.m. on Nov. 28, 1981.
She described one of many witnesses as a California man who was simply 17 on the time of Wooden’s drowning loss of life, which, after 43 years, stays mired in thriller.
The teenager, Rulli stated, had been a employee on a fishing boat moored close to the yacht owned by her husband, Wagner, the place the Insurgent With out a Trigger star was final seen alive.
Contacting Rulli final 12 months, he recalled listening to Wooden’s screams – in addition to an argument.
‘It nonetheless bothers him and he needed to inform me what he knew,’ Rulli advised radar of the then-young witness.
Davern, the boat’s captain, advised police the cruise turned violent when Wagner accused Wooden of getting an affair with Walken; Wooden and Walken pictured throughout filming of Brainstorm
Davern has claimed an irate Wagner, then 51, allegedly smashed a bottle of wine on a desk and commenced brawling with Wooden simply earlier than she vanished; Davern pictured in 2011
Wagner, who was cleared by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division in its renewed probe again in 2022, has maintained Wooden went off in a dinghy on her personal accord and by no means returned; the pair seen in 1977 in Beverly Hills
‘He heard an argument, and he advised me he heard Natalie’s screams that made him really feel uncomfortable. However he did not report it to police as a result of he thought it was an open-and-shut drowning case.’
Each accounts, Rulli stated, coincided with ones given to police by the boat’s captain, Dennis Davern – one in every of solely 4 aboard the Splendour that evening.
He was joined by Wooden, Wagner, and Walken – every half an alleged love triangle stated to have despatched Wagner right into a rage.
The person’s declare helps testimony by Davern, who advised police the Thanksgiving weekend cruise turned violent when Wagner accused Wooden of getting an affair together with her ‘Brainstorm’ co-star Walken.
Davern has claimed an irate Wagner allegedly smashed a bottle of wine on a desk and commenced brawling with Wooden simply earlier than she vanished.
At one level Davern claims he heard Wagner scream: ‘Get off my f***ing boat!’
She would go on to fade later that evening, after which Davern has claimed Wagner stopped him from turning on the searchlights or phoning for assist for a 4 full hours.
Wooden’s physique was discovered the following morning, washed up on the shore of Catalina.
Wagner has repeatedly denied and denounced the claims.
‘The case will stay open so long as Robert Wagner is alive as a result of he’s the suspect,’ claimed Rulli, who’s presently compiling proof in opposition to the growing older Hart to Hart star after the 1981 case was reopened in 2011.
The following 12 months, Wooden’s reason for loss of life was modified from ‘unintended drowning’ to ‘drowning and different undetermined components’ – many years after cops had reduce Wagner free as a suspect.
‘I nonetheless maintain hope the Los Angeles DA will see match to let the sturdy earlier proof, and the brand new proof I’ve gathered, convey justice for Natalie’s homicide,’ Rulli defined, preserving the names and particulars of the witnesses beneath wraps.
Rulli added how she additionally was contacted by an aged girl who stated she labored with Wooden as an up-and-coming actress within the Nineteen Sixties, however at the moment is near loss of life.
Wooden and Wagner have been married in 1957 and stayed collectively for 4 years earlier than divorcing; seen on their wedding ceremony day in Scottsdale, Arizona
They went on to every marry different folks and have extra youngsters earlier than finally reconciling then marrying once more in 1972; Pictured circa 1970
Earlier than her premature loss of life, Natalie welcomed daughter Courtney with Wagner, and daughter Natasha with ex-husband Richard Gregson. Wagner additionally welcomed daughter Katie with ex-wife Marion Marshall; Wagner and Wooden pictured with Katie, Natasha and Courtney in 1981
Her account additionally indicated alleged abuse from Wagner, who she claimed put his arms on Wooden of their costume room.
‘She stated she noticed Wagner come into their dressing room [before the incident],’ Rulli stated of the lady’s claims, calling them ‘extra proof of [the] abuse.’
Rulli went on to ask the publication that it maintain the names of each witnesses hid for now, as she hopes the brand new accounts will quickly spur a grand jury investigation that may see Wagner indicted.
RadarOnline additional reported how one other witness phoned LA cops someday after Wooden’s loss of life, claiming he lived subsequent door to the high-profile couple within the 50s.
‘He remembers Natalie banging on the door in the course of the evening’, Rulli advised the publication, as she plans to additionally compile the brand new claims in an upcoming e-book, Natalie Wooden and the Satan She Knew.
‘She was asking for a spot to remain for the evening as a result of [Wagner] was going to kill her.’
Wagner, who was cleared by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division in its renewed probe again in 2022, has maintained Wooden went off in a dinghy on her personal accord and by no means returned.
Lana, Natalie’s sister, has claimed prior to now that Wagner doesn’t wish to be interviewed as a result of she says he can not depend on his reminiscence any longer.
He additionally didn’t reply when he was named an individual of curiosity by the LAPD in 2018.
Wooden and Wagner have been married in 1957 and stayed collectively for 4 years earlier than divorcing.
They went on to every marry different folks and have extra youngsters earlier than finally reconciling then marrying once more in 1972.
Wagner’s ninety fifth birthday is in February.
Earlier than her premature loss of life, Natalie welcomed daughter Natasha with ex-husband Richard Gregson and daughter Courtney with Wagner, whereas Wagner additionally welcomed daughter Katie with ex-wife Marion Marshall.
Simply two months in the past Natasha opened up in regards to the affect of her mom’s loss of life and why she thinks folks nonetheless really feel protecting of her, regardless of it being greater than 40 years since her tragic passing.
Wagner, now 94, has repeatedly denied and denounced the claims of his involvement in Wooden’s loss of life; Pictured in 2017 in Palm Seaside, Florida
In an interview with Individuals, Natasha – who was simply 11 years outdated when her mother died on November 29, 1981 – stated that she was ‘proud’ of her mom for having such an ‘affect on folks.’
‘It’s simply unbelievable that there is a relevancy to her all these years later,’ Natasha stated. ‘And that individuals actually really feel that they knew her or that they really feel this protectiveness towards her.
‘Perhaps it was all meant to be in some bizarre approach. Perhaps her capacity to the touch folks is bigger together with her not being right here on earth.’
Explaining why she thinks followers really feel such a connection to her mom, Natasha continued: ‘I believe it is that they knew her since she was a bit lady.’
‘I believe that so a lot of her characters, she embodied a lot humanity. So possibly folks really feel nearly like I really feel about her, nearly parental. I really feel maternal about my mother.’
Referring to a few of her mom’s most memorable roles in movies equivalent to Insurgent With out a Trigger, Splendor within the Grass, and West Facet Story, Natasha stated: ‘A few of these motion pictures have modified folks’s lives.’
