Season 2 FinaleOver 600,000 individuals go missing in the United States every year. Fortunately, many missing children and adults are quickly found, alive and well. However, tens of thousands of individuals remain missing for more than one year – what many agencies consider “cold cases”.It is estimated that 4,400 unidentified bodies are recovered each year, with approximately 1,000 of those bodies remaining unidentified after one year.Bringing people, information, forensic science and technology together, NamUs helps resolve missing, unidentified, and unclaimed person cases throughout the United States.Interview withTodd MatthewsDirector, Case Management and CommunicationsTodd Matthews joined the NamUs management team in 2011 as the program transitioned to the UNT Health Science Center. In his current role, he manages the NamUs Regional Program Specialist staff, oversees quality assurance and quality control of NamUs data, performs outreach and training, coordinates all NamUs print and broadcast media, and serves as the media spokesperson for NamUs. Mr. Matthews previously served as a NamUs Regional System Administrator and was a member of the NamUs Advisory Board for the development of the NamUs database and program. In those roles, he piloted efforts to coordinate data exchanges between NamUs and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Mr. Matthews has also served as the Media Director for two important volunteer programs related to missing and unidentified persons: The Doe Network and Project EDAN. He has worked as a blogger for Discovery ID and served as a consultant for Jerry Brukheimer on "The Forgotten" and Dick Wolf on "Lost & Found", two scripted series related to missing and unidentified persons.Want to help?To help identify the unidentified, contact your district leader and ask them if the law enforcement in your area is using the NamUs database. Find your representative her https://www.house.gov/representatives Visit NamUs at NamUs.gov and The Doe Network at DoeNetwork.org

None of the photos on this page belong to Haunting History Podcast. No copyright infringement intended and are only used as enhancements to the story told.

At times when reporting facts regarding a true crime, or history (and photos) multiple sources use the same wording. Every effort is made to avoid any copyright infringements and no single work was intentionally plagiarized when reporting the facts of the crimes or the telling of the stories.

This presentation is protected by US & International copyright laws. Reproduction & distribution of the presentation without written permission of Haunting History Podcast or Tattered Tales Media Co. is prohibited.

For more information about our hosts, guests or Haunting History Podcast please visit our website at
https://hauntinghistorypodcast.com/

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook
https://www.instagram.com/hauntinghistory/

https://www.facebook.com/HauntingHistoryPodcast

None of the photos on this page belong to Haunting History Podcast. No copyright infringement intended and are only used as enhancements to the story told. 

At times when reporting facts regarding a true crime, (and photos) multiple sources  use the same wording. Every effort is made to avoid any copyright infringements and no single work  was intentionally plagiarized when reporting the facts of the crimes. 

Below is a  list of resources  used during the research and telling of this story. (partial)

Episode Sources

1. Books:
   • Finstad, Suzanne. Natasha: The Biography of Natalie Wood. New York: Random House, 2001.
     • This biography is one of the most detailed accounts of Natalie Wood’s life. It includes in-depth interviews with her family, friends, and colleagues, and covers her complex relationship with her mother, Maria, her marriage to Robert Wagner, and her career highs and lows. This book provided background on Natalie’s family, her early life, and the pressures she faced, as well as details about her first and second marriages to Wagner.
   • Davern, Dennis and Rulli, Marti. Goodbye Natalie, Goodbye Splendour. Medallion Press, 2009.
     • Co-written by Dennis Davern, the captain aboard Splendour during Natalie’s last weekend, this book provides Davern’s account of the events surrounding her death, Wagner’s involvement, and his later testimonies. It was a primary source for understanding Davern’s relationship with the couple and details of the fateful Thanksgiving weekend.
2. Articles and Websites:
   • Vanity Fair: "Natalie Wood’s Fatal Voyage" by Sam Kashner, March 2012.
     • This in-depth article investigates Natalie Wood's life, the influence of her mother, her relationship with Wagner, and her final days. It provided insight into the challenges Natalie faced balancing family and career in the years before her death.
   • The Los Angeles Times: “After 30 Years, Natalie Wood’s Death Remains an Open Case” by Richard Winton, February 2018.
     • This article covers the 2011 reopening of Natalie Wood’s case, with statements from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and updates on Wagner’s status as a “person of interest.” It was useful for understanding the ongoing investigation and Wagner's relationship with the authorities.
   • Town & Country: “The Mystery Surrounding Natalie Wood’s Death” by Sam Dangremond, February 2018.
     • This article provides an overview of Natalie’s relationships with Wagner, her family dynamics, and new witness statements from people on Catalina Island that night, contributing details about the Thanksgiving weekend on Splendour and interactions between Natalie, Wagner, and Walken.
3. Documentaries and Media Coverage:
   • HBO Documentary: Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind (2020)
     • Produced by Natalie’s daughter Natasha Gregson Wagner, this documentary offers a personal perspective on Natalie’s life, her role as a mother, and her relationship with Robert Wagner. It includes family interviews that gave context to Natalie’s life in 1981 and her family’s evolving feelings toward Wagner.
   • CBS News – 48 Hours Special: Natalie Wood: Death in Dark Water (2018)
     • This news special includes interviews with witnesses, Dennis Davern, and law enforcement involved in the reopened investigation. It was a source for additional details on Davern’s testimony, Walken’s role in the weekend, and Wagner’s interactions with law enforcement.
4. Public Records:
   • Los Angeles County Coroner’s Report on Natalie Wood’s Death (1981, with updates in 2011 and 2012).
     • Available in public archives, the coroner’s report was crucial for understanding the official causes, injuries, and suspicions surrounding Wood’s death. This report, along with the revised statements from 2011, provided foundational details about the circumstances of her death and the inconsistencies that led to the case’s reopening.

• 
   

and of course Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, Newspaperarchives, FamilySearch.org

 

 

This presentation is protected by US & International copyright laws. Reproduction & distribution of the presentation without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited. 

 

 Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, Newspaperarchives, FamilySearch.org

 

This presentation is protected by US & International copyright laws. Reproduction & distribution of the presentation without written permission of the sponsor is prohibited.