Natalie Wood was 43 years old when she died on November 29th, 1981 as a result of drowning and undetermined factors.

Although Wood’s acting career wasn’t what it once was at the time of her death, she was a beloved actress due to her performances in movies like Miracle on 34th Street and West Side Story. Both movies kept her fresh in the minds of her fans who grew up watching her on screen in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.

Unlike some celebrities who have faded from public consciousness over the years, Wood hasn’t faded away, she’s remained in the spotlight because of the mystery surrounding her death.

Why?

The answer is simple. The public loves a good mystery and countless writers have written about her over the years, continuing to feed that hunger for answers that may never die.

Sheriff’s Investigation

In light of the recent Los Angeles County Sheriff’s continued investigation into her death one has to ask the question: why does the cause of her death matter anymore?

Wood’s family and her children would most likely want to see a resolution to the investigation and even a suspect brought to light, but as the 40th anniversary of her death is getting closer, the odds of a killer being brought to justice are slim to none.

Robert Wagner

There’s no doubt that the best suspect in the investigation surrounding her death is Robert Wagner. Especially since he reportedly was the last person to see her alive, but did he kill her? That’s a question we may never get an answer to.

Robert Wagner is 87 years old now, Christopher Walken is 74, and it’s unlikely that either man will be any help when it comes to shedding new light on the case unless one or the other attempts a deathbed confession.

Both men are still active in Hollywood, to some degree, so it’s unlikely that you will see either actor spill the beans on the other, especially if they made a pact following her death to not tell the authorities what really happened about the night she went in the water.

If real information about her death was available one has to ask why did it not come to light 30 years ago when the men involved were much younger and potential witnesses could more easily recollect what they saw? Instead of recounting what they “might have saw” over 30 years later?

Yes, it’s sad Natalie Wood will never receive justice if she was killed that night, either directly or indirectly by Robert Wagner’s actions, but the truth is that 37 years have passed and the odds of a Wagner confession/conviction, or Wood’s real killer facing justice, are extremely unlikely.