The change in Natalie Wood’s death certificate — from “accidental” to “undetermined” — has no immediate impact on her hubby Robert Wagner, sources said today.
The Los Angeles County coroner took the unusual step of reclassifying Wood’s tragic death but investigators are apparently not pointing any fingers at the “Hart to Hart” actor Wagner, TMZ reported.
Both the celebrity Web site and the actor’s rep said today the paperwork change has no bearing on him.
“He never has been a suspect in this matter,” Wagner’s publicist Alan Nierob said. “They [LA County Sheriff’s investigators] stated that fact publicly as I’m sure you are aware.”
Wagner, Wood and their friend Christopher Walken were aboard a yacht on Nov. 29, 1981, off Santa Catalina, when they reportedly argued over the direction of the actress’ career, witnesses have said.
Wood went missing and she was found drowned, with a bruises on her body and alcohol in her system.
The LA County Sheriff revealed this past fall that investigators are taking a fresh look at the case, but said then Wagner wasn’t a suspect.
The reclassification from “accidental” to “undetermined” could be more a slap at then-LA County Coroner Thomas Nogochi.
The famed medical examiner didn’t follow proper protocol by failing to account for all of Wood’s bruises, TMZ said, though those wounds could have easily come from a non-criminal fall off the boat that night.