When we started this story, like so many others, we don't know how they will end. This one rekindled an old acquaintance, who is now a friend, it introduced me to Bob Taft, who I know now, will be a long time friend and created an even closer relationship with Kristi, an old friend. So, if all this has done is get Kerry's story out there and help people remember her then we've done what we set out to do, what we didn't plan on was Kerry bringing us all together, I've said it before, and I will say it again, we were all brought to this one place for a reason, if that reason is friendship, I myself, am good with that, if its to tell more stories like Kerry's I'm good with that, ultimately we are all here for the journey, no matter where that leads us...and Im good with that too.Thanks Kerry.Crystal sent me an email of her final thoughts, that email is here in its entirety:As you have heard in this Podcast so skillfully assembled by Cathie Curtis, on June 14, 1980 our family moved to Fullerton from Cerritos, mainly because we wanted our then15 year old daughter Kerry to go to Sunny Hills High School.The new neighborhood was bustling with trades people laying concrete patios, putting in sod, doing landscaping and brick walkways. We were one of the last homes sold so most owners were well on their way to finishing up their exteriors and front yard landscaping.On June 26 Kerry and Michelle were going to take the beach bus to Huntington Beach for the first time with their new boogie boards. At the last minute we were informed that a piece of furniture we ordered was going to be delivered that day, so I had to ask the girls to stay home and wait for the delivery.In the early afternoon Kerry called an old friend who had moved to Fullerton a year before and made plans to meet up with him and a couple of his friends at the Ice Cream Castle about a mile from our new home. Kerry told Michelle she would bring her back a candy bar, and she took off on foot to walk the short distance to the strip mall where the ice cream store was.That was the last time anyone in our family saw Kerry.I have spent the last 40 years trying to sort out what happened to my daughter. To begin with, the Fullerton Police Department mishandled Kerry’s case from the beginning. According the “statistics” at the time I was told, “girls between the ages of 12-17 who go missing are 99% of the time runaways. Unfortunately for Kerry her age put her in that category, and no amount of exculpatory evidence like $20 sitting on her dresser, a suitcase mostly packed for a weekend trip in her room, and close friends and family saying she would never run away, made any difference to the Fullerton Police Department. Kerry falling into their “statistic” made it easy for them to put forth minimal effort to help us find my child. As a result, critical evidence and leads were o

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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.

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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.