Marilyn Monroe died fifty years ago this Sunday, and there are still many theories as to how it happened. With all the forensic developments since 1962, would we be able to figure it out if she had died today?
The answer to this is: Maaaaaaybe. Marilyn was classified as having been a “probable suicide,” and there were witnesses that could testify to her dependence on prescription drugs around the time of her death. But there are still several holes in the story of her death, most of which were never solved. These include:
- The housekeeper used the washing machine after Marilyn’s death. Why? Did she even know the actress was dead?
- Thirty-five minutes passed between Marilyn’s doctor declaring her dead and the police being called. Why did they wait?
- The district attorney’s report says that there were 15 bottles of prescription drugs (?!) were found on the scene, but the coroner’s report only reflects 8 bottles. Did someone make a mistake, or were seven bottles truly missing?
A bit peculiar, I’d say. Maybe we should have brought in the biggest detectives around back then…
But there were a lot of murky details in the investigation itself, such as:
- They didn’t perform toxicologies (tests for toxic substances) on all of her organs. In fact, sections from her intestines and stomach were thrown away untested.
- A diary of hers may have been taken from her bedroom, but this wasn’t confirmed or denied.
- One of the doctors who Marilyn supposedly got her prescription drugs from couldn’t be found after she died. Did they flee?
- Only outgoing calls, not incoming as well, were counted as part of the official phone records.
I know this probably makes you want to call in the CSI team. But honestly, the advancements in CSI technology we enjoy today may not have given us a direct answer about Marilyn’s death if used at the time. Autopsy techniques haven’t really advanced since 1962 (though a more thorough toxicology test would certainly have cleared things up). And without that very important missing half of the phone list, we wouldn’t be nearly as able to see what happened that day even with today’s techniques. Without that information, we’d be lost even today.
Whether she died by her own hand or at the hand of someone else, there’s still a lot of people out there who wish she was still around.
But check this out — I And I admit, I’m one of them.When the anniversary of Marilyn’d death rolls around tomorrow, I vote that we remember Marilyn for what she was: A fractured woman who wanted to be taken seriously as a performer and an intellectual. She was a survivor, getting a college degree and even dying her hair to get as much work in Hollywood as possible. A lady who was certainly more than just a pretty face.
Do you think we could have figured out Marilyn’s cause of death if she had died today? What stands out to you about this case, Lovelies?
[via The Huffington Post]
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hydrangea / 81 posts
I would have loved to hear the truth as to how she died. I strongly believe from everything that she may have been killed. And now her foundation is making money.
guest
The cause of Marilyn Monroe’s death is known. But since John F. and Robert Kennedy were eyeball deep in killing her the whole thing was buried.
The same thing happened when their younger brother Ted Kennedy killed his mistress by driving off a bridge at Chappaquiddick. He should have gone to jail for a very long time.
But the whole thing was buried and he got off Scott-free.
The Kennedy’s were monsters. But John F. and brother Robert in their turn, were killed by other monsters.
And Teddy the Younger, having learned never to bite the hand that feeds him, died of old age.
dahlia / 2382 posts
Probably yes. I think 98% of the reason we don’t know is no one had their story straight. Even the housekeeper gave conflicting statements & before she died, she was recorded saying Marilyn wasn’t dead when the doctor got there but died before it could be investigated.
Also, the levels if drugs in her body were astronomically high. To overdose is easy but she more than likely had it injected or something because her stomach wasn’t inflamed as it should have been from ingesting it.
guest
Can’t say. Sounds like a sneaky cover-up to me though.
guest
Depends on who would be in charge of the investigation.
guest
Toxicology reports would have been helpful, but it’s doubtful that the truth, even if her death happened in modern times, would have come out completely. Hell, a huge percentage of crimes remain unsolved now, even with fancy shmancy forensic techniques.
guest
I would like to think so. Such a shame.