Robert Wagner Refusing To Talk To Cops In Natalie Wood Case, Says L.A. Sheriff
Jan. 18 2013, Published 6:53 p.m. ET
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has been snubbed in its latest attempts to interview Robert Wagner about the death of his former wife Natalie Wood.
Since a new investigation was launched into the case more than a year ago, Wagner, 82, has ignored all requests by the authorities to speak with him, a spokesperson for the department told TheWrap on Friday.
Lt. John Corina claimed that various interview requests were made through Wagner’s attorney, his publicist and via a certified letter, but ended up being ignored.
The Los Angeles coroner’s department released a new report earlier this month that revealed her body had bruises on the upper extremities that could have been caused by a “non-accidental mechanism” and “occurred before she entered the water” off of Catalina Island, where she drowned on Nov.29, 1981.
Corina says Wagner is the only person on board the yacht The Splendour who hasn’t been interviewed about Wood’s death since the case was re-opened. Legendary actor Christopher Walken and the yacht’s captain Dennis Dalvern have all given their account of what happened that night again.
“He's the last person who saw her alive,” Corina told TheWrap. “He's the missing piece of the puzzle.”
Corina wants to hear Wagner’s side of the story, and quiz him why he failed to tell authorities about a fight that happened between him and Wood during the initial investigation.
Wagner’s attorney Blair Berk disputes Corina’s claims and says that actor has “fully cooperated” with the investigation over the last three decades.
“Mr. Wagner has fully cooperated over the last 30 years in the investigation of the accidental drowning of his wife in 1981. Mr. Wagner has been interviewed on multiple occasions by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and answered every single question asked of him by detectives during those interviews," Berk said in a statement to TheWrap.
"After 30 years, neither Mr. Wagner nor his daughters have any new information to add to this latest investigation, which was unfortunately prompted by those seeking to exploit and sensationalize the 30th anniversary of the death of his wife and their mother."
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