Marilyn monroe facts about death
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Pat Newcomb, her press agent, had slept over and awakened around noon on Saturday. This has led to speculation that a powerful sedative could have been delivered in liquid form—potentially via enema or suppository, methods difficult to detect postmortem without specific examination.
There are so many issues with the original foresnic analysic of Monroe’s death that it’s hard to pull at one string without everything unraveling.
Dr. Hyman Engelberg, her personal physician, was called to the scene, and the Los Angeles Police Department was notified at 4:25 AM.
Official Investigation and Autopsy
The autopsy was conducted later that day by Deputy Coroner Dr. Thomas Noguchi.
Donald Spoto writes Lawford as quoting Marilyn, "Say goodbye to Pat, say goodbye to the president, and say goodbye to yourself, because you're a nice guy."
At this point, there are sharply conflicting statements from many sources as to when Marilyn died and how and when her death was discovered. Her lifeless body was found in her home at 12305 Fifth Helena Drive in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, before dawn on August 5.
The official cause of death was determined to be an overdose of barbiturates, and the Los Angeles County coroner ruled it a probable suicide.
It remains unclear whether such samples from Monroe’s autopsy still exist or were lost over time, something that further complicates investigating Monroe’s death in the modern era.
This renewed focus on Monroe’s death doesn’t offer any conclusiove answers, but it does show us that she remains someone who can captivate the public imagination.
DiMaggio maintained a deep devotion to Monroe, sending roses to her grave three times a week for the next twenty years.
Joe DiMaggio mourning at Marilyn Monroe’s funeral—front page, “New York Daily Mirror”, August 9, 1962.
Legacy and Estate
Monroe left behind a vast cultural legacy.
Areas such as the arms, scalp, and even ankles were examined without identifying any puncture wounds. The investigation found no credible evidence to support foul play but acknowledged “factual discrepancies” and “unanswered questions.” Some believe that evidence was tampered with or suppressed, further fueling speculation.
Public Reaction and Funeral
Monroe’s death was a global shock, with reports of increased suicide rates in Los Angeles following the news.
They claimed that Marilyn's body had been discovered some four hours earlier, but that they could not contact the police until 20th Century Fox's publicity department had given them permission. She died of an overdose of sleeping pills."
A psychological autopsy established the manner of death as suicide, taking into account her history, which included "psychiatric disturbance, severe fears and frequent depressions," along with past suicide attempts.
While her death was ruled a suicide, a complete toxicology report was never conducted because "the levels of pentobarbital and chloral hydrate were fatal," leading the chief toxicologist to forgo any further testing.
However, Monroe’s autopsy reportedly showed no such evidence. Experts noted that in a typical autopsy, sections of the liver and other organs are preserved and liquefied for toxicology testing. It’s speculative, but in line with long-running rumors that Monroe was the victim of foul play.
Adding to the uncertainty is the status of the tissue samples.
No signs of external injury were found, and the lack of residue in her stomach suggested that the drugs had been absorbed into her bloodstream rapidly, leading to speculation that they were administered in a different manner, such as via an enema.
Psychiatrists who reviewed Monroe’s case concluded that her history of depression, coupled with previous suicide attempts and her known struggles with addiction, indicated that her death was likely a suicide.
The star of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was discovered lifeless in her Brentwood, California residence on 4 August 1962, aged just 36. Her face was in a pillow, her arms were by her side, her right arm was slightly bent. This absence of comprehensive testing troubled Dr. Noguchi, who pondered: "Was there a chance that she was murdered?" and "Was he a pawn in a coverup?"
The book reveals that "rumors of foul play had begun to circulate," and once the circumstances of her death became public knowledge, "rumors blossomed into conspiracy theories, tapping into the deep well of postwar conspiracy and paranoia: The CIA assassinated her; the Kennedys had her killed."
Some critics highlighted the psychological autopsy - a relatively novel approach in forensic science at the time - as the decisive element behind the suicide verdict.
Her personal life was equally chaotic, with rumors of affairs involving both John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert F. Kennedy.
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Events on August 4, 1962
On the day of her death, Monroe spent time at her Brentwood home with several visitors, including her publicist Patricia Newcomb, housekeeper Eunice Murray, photographer Lawrence Schiller, and psychiatrist Dr.
Ralph Greenson. Donald Wolfe quotes Clemmons: "'She was lying facedown in what I call the soldier's position.