By Sam HuntleyHollie Beale,
1 days ago
The world's most celebrated actress died on August 4, 1962 - sending shockwaves across the globe.
Marilyn Monroe, Hollywood's ultimate sex symbol, was only 36 years old when she tragically died.
Her nude, lifeless body was found at her Los Angeles residence in the early morning hours by her psychiatrist, Ralph Greenson, who was forced to enter the bedroom through a window. This comes as death conspiracies involving the actress also resurfaced in recent months.
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Marilyn's concerned housekeeper Eunice Murray had awakened during the night and noticed light coming from beneath the star's door.
After receiving no answer, she contacted Greenson, who discovered Marilyn lying face down on her bed with one hand resting on her telephone.
Multiple bottles of sleeping pills were discovered on her nightstand, including a container of the potent sedative Nembutal. Marilyn's doctor, Hyman Engelberg, arrived at approximately 3.50am and declared her deceased.
The Some Like It Hot star, born Norma Jeane Mortenson, had succumbed to acute barbiturate poisoning resulting from a fatal dose of sleeping pills. Coroner Dr. Noguchi stated following the autopsy: "It was plain and simple. She died of an overdose of sleeping pills."
The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office determined her death a "probable suicide" after investigations conducted by Noguchi and Dr. Theodore Curphey.
The book L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood discloses the disturbing details of the medical examiner's post-mortem examination.
According to the report, Dr. Noguchi: "began by slowly examining every inch of [her] body with a magnifying glass to search for needle marks that would indicate the injection of drugs... He found none."
He further "noted the fresh bruises on her hip and lower back and the cyanosis that cast a bluish tinge to her skin."
A psychological autopsy was additionally carried out on Marilyn, which referenced her "psychiatric disturbance", "severe fears and frequent depressions," and previous suicide attempts.
An accidental overdose was eliminated as a cause of death given that the levels of drugs found in her system far exceeded the lethal threshold. It is believed she passed away sometime between 8.30pm and 10.30pm on August 4.
In the months leading up to her death, the iconic star had become a "virtual recluse" within her Brentwood home in Los Angeles, having withdrawn from public life following her dismissal from her final film, Something's Got to Give.
Psychiatrists Norman Farberow, Robert Litman, and Norman Tabachnik assisted investigators in examining the circumstances surrounding Marilyn's death.
Their final report stated: "Miss Monroe had suffered from psychiatric disturbance for a long time. She experienced severe fears and frequent depressions. Mood changes were abrupt and unpredictable. Among symptoms of disorganization, sleep disturbance was prominent, for which she had been taking sedative drugs for many years.
"She was thus familiar with and experienced in the use of sedative drugs and well aware of their dangers... In our investigation we have learned that Miss Monroe had often expressed wishes to give up, to withdraw, and even to die. On more than one occasion in the past, she had made a suicide attempt, using sedative drugs.
"On these occasions, she had called for help and had been rescued. It is our opinion that the same pattern was repeated on the evening of Aug. 3, except for the rescue. It has been our practice with similar information collected in other cases in the past to recommend a certification for such deaths as probable suicide."
However, what troubled Noguchi was the absence of a comprehensive toxicology report, despite the levels of pentobarbital and chloral hydrate found in the icon's system being deemed "fatal". He questioned: "Was there a chance that she was murdered?" and "Was he a pawn in a cover-up?"
During the initial internal examination, Noguchi discovered no trace of sleeping pills in Marilyn's stomach, raising serious questions about how the drugs had entered her body. Even decades later, he remains unconvinced by the original suicide ruling.
Theories surrounding the circumstances of Marilyn's death have persisted for decades, with numerous conspiracy theories alleging the actress was killed, with some even pointing the finger at the CIA or the Kennedys. In 1982, Los Angeles County District Attorney John Van de Kamp launched a formal investigation into the death to establish whether a criminal inquiry was warranted, but investigators uncovered no evidence of foul play.
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