LOS ANGELES — Decades after her untimely death, investigators working the Natalie Wood case say her husband at the time, Robert Wagner, is a person of interest.
The Hollywood star, Captain Dennis Davern, Wagner and actor Christopher Walken were on her family’s yacht when she disappeared in November 1981. She was discovered floating off the coast of Catalina Island the next day.
At the time, authorities ruled the death an accident, but in 2011, the case was suddenly reopened. Wood’s cause of death was changed to “drowning and other undetermined factors” about a year later.
On Thursday, CBS News announced their team has confirmed investigators now want to speak with Wagner about the night Wood disappeared.
“As we’ve investigated the case over the last six years, I think he’s more of a person of interest now,” Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant John Corina told “48 Hours” correspondent Erin Moriarty. “I mean, we know now that he was the last person to be with Natalie before she disappeared.”
When questioned in 1981, the men said Wood, who was reportedly scared of dark water, left the yacht on a dinghy. Over time however, witness accounts of what happened have changed.
Corina believes Wagner knows more than he’s telling but so far, the actress’ former husband has refused to speak with authorities.
“I haven’t seen him tell the details that match all the other witnesses in this case,” Corina says of Wagner. “I think he’s constantly changed his story a little bit. And his version of events just don’t add up.”
“Natalie Wood: Death in Dark Water” will air Saturday, Feb. 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.