Robert Wagner Was Blamed in Killing of Wife Natalie Wood & Daughters Defended Dad: At 93 He Still Loves Her

Robert Wagner married his wife Natalie Wood twice before she tragically died. He was blamed for her death but after 42 years of living without her, Wagner still loves and always tries to keep her memory alive.

"Heart to Heart" legend Robert Wagner is 93 years old. He continued raising his children after tragically losing his wife, Natalie Wood, at 43.

Wagner raised his three daughters, Kathie, whom she had while married to Marion Marshall. He also has Courtney with his late wife, and he took in Wood's daughter Natasha as one of his own.

Wagner wanted Natasha, Kathie and Courtney to continue having a close-knit relationship, which worked out beautifully.

The actor and his daughters are close. They still honor Wood and try to keep her memory alive. They created an Instagram account to share pictures celebrating Wood and the people she loved.

The account shared a picture of Wagner and Wood in their early days, and the actor reposted it with many heats. Although Wagner did not get to grow old with Wood, he was lucky to marry her twice.

Why Did Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood Marry Twice?

Wagner was signed with a studio but was between jobs and trying to find his next big movie. It turned out the studio did not only bring him jobs but introduced him to the love of his life.

Wagner and Wood were set up on a date by the studio in 1957. Their relationship was reportedly meant to be a publicity stunt, but the two fell in love.

Even though the studio saw potential between Wagner and Wood, the Oscar-nominated actress already had the hearts for the "Austin Powers" star.

"I was 10, and he was 18 when I first saw him walking down a hall at 20th Century Fox," said Wood. The then 10-year-old looked back at her mother and told her Wagner would be her husband one day.

Wood was not wrong; she was 19, and Wagner was 27 when they decided to walk down the aisle. They married in Scottsdale, where the actor is from, on December 28, 1957. The public highly anticipated their wedding and deemed it the “glittering union of the 20th century."

But something did not work out, and the couple divorced in 1962. Wood confessed that Wagner was a good partner, but the challenges came from her side, where she did not know where her life was going.

Nonetheless, Wood married British producer, Richard Gregson. They welcomed their daughter Natasha in 1970. Wagner also married Marshall in 1962, and they had their daughter Kathie.

However, Wagner and Wood crossed paths again at a dinner party they attended alone. The actress was pregnant with Natasha then, and the actor had just separated from Marshall.

Wagner drove Wood home, and she asked him if he was happy, "I am happy you are having a baby," said the actor. Their reconciliation did not turn into anything since Wood was still married.

But in 1971, Gregson and Wood went their separate ways, and the actress started talking to Wagner again. This time they sealed the deal by getting married again in 1972.

Their wedding was less extravagant the second time around. The couple only had their daughters and few friends and family celebrate with them.

Mysterious Death of Natalie Wood

Wood and Wagner decided to celebrate Thanksgiving in style on a 60-foot yacht. They were joined by Christopher Walken, who acted alongside Wood in what would be her last movie, "Brainstorm."

The night that would end up being the most tragic day of Wagner’s life started with the crew having dinner at Isthmus Cove on Catalina Island. Wagner wrote about the details of that night in his memoir, "Heart to Heart."

After they had made it back to the boat, Wood excused herself. An hour later, Wagner went to check on her in their room, but she was not there.

The actor realized the inflatable dinghy was not there either, but he did not make much of it since Wood had taken it out a few times.

Then 15 minutes later, Wagner went to look for her in a small cruiser, and when he could not find her there, he asked for help through the radio. Shortly after, the Baywatch Isthmus Patrol and Cost Guards joined the search.

Unfortunately, on Sunday morning, 07:45 a.m. on November 28, 1981, Woods's body was found fully clothed and floating in the water.

Wood had previously confessed that she was terrified of the ocean, but she was also reportedly good with boats. However, her husband clarified that she was not the best swimmer.

While Wagner tried to understand how Wood could have died, he said it all came to him when he was told she was found in her nightgown, puffer, and cozy socks. The actor explained;

"...She probably skidded on one of the steps after untying the ropes. The steps are slick as ice because of the algae and seaweed that's always clinging to them. After slipping on the steps, she hit her head against the boat...I only hope she was unconscious when she hit the water."

However, Woods's autopsy indicated that she had consumed about eight glasses of wine before she died. Nonetheless, Los Angeles County Coroner's officer, Thomas Noguchi, confirmed that Wood's death was an accident.

How Did Daughters Defend Robert after He Was Blamed in Killing Natalie Wood

Even though Wood's death was confirmed to be an accident, some people thought the actress's death was premeditated. One of those people was Wood's sister Lana Wood, who said she believed Wagner was behind her sister's death.

However, the speculations grew, and Wood's case was reopened in 2011. The cause of death reportedly was changed from accidental to "drowned and other undermined factors" in 2012.

In 2018, L.A. County investigators announced Wagner as their person of interest. However, Wagner was not threatened by the accusations.

He told his daughter Natasha that he would not let the accusations redefine him because he knew himself and what he had with Wood. Natasha was also touched by Wagner's words and agreed that blaming her mother's death on him was outlandish.

Natasha also said when Wagner found out about the allegations, his frustration was more about how they were affecting his children.

Therefore, Natasha reiterated that Wagner knew the truth and loved Wood, so he would not let the media make him believe otherwise.

She continued to emphasize how unacceptable it was for people to assume those negative things about her father. Natasha said Wagner would not do anything for her mother's well-being, "he would have given his life for her," she expressed.

Courtney also spoke up. She expressed that the accusations made her furious and felt they intended to disrespect her family.

However, she reiterated that losing her mother brought her, Katie Natasha, and Wagner closer. Therefore, when she saw the attacks on her father, she only wanted to protect him because it felt like people were using Wood's death to exploit her family.

Courtney expressed how much she loved her father and was shocked to see so many untrue things written about him. But the record was set straight when he Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department cleared Wagner from being involved in Wood's death.

Subscribe to AmoMama on Google News!