INSIDE EDITION talks to Natalie Wood’s sister Lana Wood about her unanswered questions in the death of the Hollywood legend, as authorities reopen the case.
An emotional Lana Wood makes a heartbreaking plea to Robert Wagner for the full truth about what happened the night her movie star sister Natalie drowned, thirty years ago. Lana spoke to INSIDE EDITION's Jim Moret.
"Stand up and tell that. Tell me what happened to her," said Lana.
INSIDE EDITION's Jim Moret asked, "You think Robert is lying?"
"Yeah, I do," answered Lana.
"And you think he's been lying for years?" asked Moret.
"Yes," said Lana.
The bombshell re-opening of the investigation into Natalie Wood's drowning death in 1981 is raking up painful memories for Lana Wood, who is best known for her role as the sexy Bond girl Plenty O'Toole in the James Bond movie Diamonds are Forever.
Natalie Wood was in the legendary western The Searchers. Lana was in that film as well, playing the part of Natalie's character as a child.
Natalie Wood was Hollywood royalty and she and Robert Wagner were a golden couple when they exchanged wedding vows. But on that fateful night aboard the Splendour in 1981, the golden couple showed signs of tarnish.
Moret asked, "What were they fighting about?"
"Jealousy. Natalie wanted to go back into acting more, doing more. Her kids were getting older," said Lana.
Lana doesn't believe Natalie was romantically involved with Christopher Walken, who was a guest on the Splendour that night. Nor does she believe Wagner's theory that Natalie left in the dingy to attend a party on another boat, slipped, and hit her head.
"She would have never, never in a million years, left the boat undressed. She was in a nightgown," said Lana.
And there was Natalie's lifelong terror of the water to consider.
Lana said, "My mother used to always say to Natalie, 'You've got to beware of dark water. You're going to drown.' "
Moret asked, "Did your sister know how to swim?"
"No. She could dog paddle," said Lana.
Lana Wood is infuriated by Wagner's alleged delay in the search for her sister—information just coming out now after all these decades.
"The allegation that Robert Wagner knew she was in the water and did nothing," said Moret.
"I know. Which angers me and frustrates me and makes me furious," said Lana.
Dennis Davern, captain of the Splendour, claims Wagner told him not to turn on the search light or call for help.
Moret said, "Your wife has just gone overboard. You don't know where she is and you say, 'Don't turn the search light on? Does that sound like Robert Wagner?"
"Yes it does," said Lana.
Lana Wood says it's been twelve years since she last spoke with Robert Wagner.
Land told Moret, "R.J. would never hurt her and nobody would ever hurt her. But, you know, somebody did."
