Natalie Wood’s Mysterious Death: A Timeline Unveiled

Late November 1981

Following Thanksgiving in 1981, Natalie Wood and her husband, Robert Wagner, planned a boat trip to Catalina Island.

Despite inviting friends to join them, only Christopher Walken, Wood's co-star in the film Brainstorm, accepted the invitation.

They were accompanied by Dennis Davern, the captain of their yacht, Splendour.

November 28, 1981

Wood, Wagner, Walken, and Davern enjoyed a dinner filled with champagne at a restaurant in Catalina before returning to the yacht.

Concerned about their level of intoxication, the night manager of the restaurant asked the Harbor Patrol to ensure their safe return to the boat.

The toxicology report later revealed that Wood had a blood alcohol content of 0.14 percent.

According to Wagner, he had a heated conversation with Walken after dinner, while Wood was elsewhere on the yacht.

Around 11:05 p.m., it was discovered that Wood was missing, and the boat's dinghy was also gone.

November 29, 1981

At 1:30 a.m., a ship-to-shore call was made, and at 3:30 a.m., the Coast Guard was finally contacted.

The four-hour delay in calling for help has been a point of interest for investigators.

Around 8 a.m., Wood's body was found approximately a mile south of the yacht, near Blue Cavern Point.

November 30, 1981

Dr. Joseph Choi performed an autopsy on Wood, noting her blood alcohol levels and bruises on her arms, legs, and face, which were consistent with a fall overboard while attempting to board the dinghy.

The Los Angeles Medical Examiner's Office ruled the death an accident.

September 1, 1997

Christopher Walken broke his silence on Wood's death in an interview with Playboy Magazine.

He provided an account consistent with the initial findings of investigators, suggesting that Wood went out to move the dinghy and slipped on a slippery ski ramp.

November 17, 2011

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reopened the investigation into Wood's death after receiving new information from unidentified sources.

November 18, 2011

Dennis Davern admitted to lying about Wood's death during his initial questioning by the police.

He also claimed that Wagner was responsible for the tragedy.

January 14, 2013

The cause of Wood's death was officially changed from accidental drowning to “drowning and other undetermined factors.”

Bruises found on her body during the initial autopsy were believed to have been sustained before her drowning, but the exact timing could not be determined.

February 1, 2018

Robert Wagner was officially named a person of interest in Wood's death by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

2020

In the HBO documentary Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind, Natasha Gregson Wagner confronts her stepfather, Robert Wagner, on-camera about the speculation surrounding her mother's death.

Wagner denies any involvement, and Gregson Wagner expresses her unwavering support for him, believing he had no part in her mother's tragic demise.