What did Marilyn Monroe die from? The strange death of Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe why she was killed

In August 1962, on the night of the 4th to the 5th, America was shocked by sensational and at the same time tragic news: the country's actress and the most magnificent woman, Marilyn Monroe, was found dead in her mansion. What really happened? What led to Monroe's death? These were the questions everyone asked in those days.

It was officially announced that the incident was an unintentional suicide as a result of improperly taking anti-anxiety medications prescribed by a doctor. But literally a week later, articles appeared in the press in which there were attempts to talk about different versions of the death of the star.

The first (official) version of Marilyn Monroe's death is drugs. As you know, the actress was subject to deep depression. Every day she visited a psychoanalyst, who recommended her strong antidepressants and sleeping pills. Monroe's addiction medicines developed in her youth, at the age of about 18 years. The girl constantly experimented with them: in the morning she took stimulants, and at night - sleeping pills, often in huge doses and along with her favorite champagne. This kind of medication was, in fact, drug addiction. Famous actor Ted Jordan, one of the star’s many lovers, recalled that Marilyn considered the pills “hers.” best friends", without which I could neither sleep nor work.

Monroe was terrified of repeating the fate of her grandmother and mother, who ended their lives in a psychiatric clinic. In 1958, Marilyn was found to have signs of schizophrenia, and therefore she had to undergo a more detailed examination in a psychiatric clinic. Sometimes she completely “disconnected” from life, being late for filming for a whole week, very often forgot the text of the role and, not surprisingly, she could have made a mistake on that ill-fated day in taking medications, accidentally exceeding their dosage.

The second version was suicide. Artists, usually vulnerable and unbalanced, have done “this” more than once. Marilyn was probably no exception, especially since she tried to commit suicide in her younger years. While still just a girl, Marilyn once tried to poison herself with gas, and another time she swallowed sleeping pills. She made another suicide attempt after the death of one of her first lovers and producers, Johnny Hyde.

Another version of Monroe’s death is a murder ordered by the mafia. According to CIA records, under whose supervision Monroe’s villa was located, the day before her death, the actress met with one of her influential ex-lovers, Frank Sinatra, who at that time was right hand Sam Giancana, leader American mafia. This gave rise to rumors about the possible involvement of organized crime in the death of the movie star.

Many believe that the murder could have been ordered by Kennedy. In 1964, writer Frank Capell declared Robert Kennedy responsible for the death of actress. According to James Haspiel, he personally heard wiretapping recordings proving that Kennedy suffocated Monroe with a pillow.

Publicity about John Fitzgerald Kennedy's whirlwind affair with Marilyn Monroe could have ruined it political career. After breaking up with John in May 1962, Monroe did not want to accept the breakup. Drowning out the pain with drugs, desperate, she wrote Kennedy pathetic letters and constantly annoyed him with phone calls and threats of exposure in the press. The actress wrote down the details of their meetings and conversations in her diary, which was her main trump card in this matter.

The president's younger brother, Robert Kennedy, was delegated by the family to console his abandoned mistress, but he himself fell into her arms. This relationship developed rapidly. The actress admitted that she loved Robert and that he even promised to marry her. When Robert tried to leave the game in order to stop Marilyn's self-destruction, it was too late. Strong arguments in favor of the unspoken version that appeared almost immediately after the sad events about the involvement of the Kennedy brothers in the death of the actress emerged from the archives of the FBI and CIA only in 1986.

According to many testimonies, on August 4, Robert Kennedy flew to Los Angeles for a final showdown with Monroe, where a terrible scene then unfolded in the actress’s house. According to an eyewitness, Monroe promised to call a press conference to tell the world how she was treated by John and Robert Kennedy. An angry Robert demanded that he and his brother be left alone. The quarrel ended with a hysterical fit of the actress, and the next morning she was found dead.

Another version is a psychoanalyst’s mistake. Marilyn Monroe's personal psychoanalyst Ralph Greenson, who became a very close person to her, was confident that the actress needed to widely use medicines with simultaneous correction of the emotional sphere.

According to one of the most prominent biographers of Marilyn Monroe, Donald Spoto, “his technique was disastrous for the patient”: instead of stimulating the patient to gain independence, he did the opposite, as a result of which, “he completely subordinated Monroe’s actions and desires to his will,” being confident in that he will be able to “make her do whatever she wants.”

The psychoanalyst forbade the actress to meet with ex-husband, Joe DiMaggio, imposed restrictions on communication with friends who cared about the actress. According to Spoto, in 1962, Ralph Greenson spread false rumors that Marilyn had schizophrenia. In addition, there is a therapist's report, drawn up several months before the actress's death, about bruises under her eyes and a broken nose, which confirms that Ralph Greenson even beat his patient.

The Hollywood star saw that the psychoanalyst was alienating her from her friends and understood that she needed to break up with him.

Incredible facts

Marilyn Monroe died from a barbiturate overdoseAugust 5, 1962 in your home at12305 Fifth Helena Drivein Brentwood, California.

Since then, her death has been the subject of many conspiracy theories, including that it was a murder rather than a suicide.

Read also: Hollywood's Greatest Myths Believed

However, the real details of her death are no less shocking and interesting than the conspiracy theories.


Cause of death of Marilyn Monroe

1. Marilyn Monroe died from an overdose of Nembutal, but no pills were found in her stomach.


According to the investigator's report, Marilyn Monroe took more than 40 Nembutal tablets, but no tablets were found in her stomach. Forensic expert Thomas Noguchi later explained that the lack of pills was a result of Marilyn's history of drug abuse. The pills in her stomach were digested faster than if they had been taken by someone not suffering from an addiction.

However, this fact became the source of conspiracy theories, which advocated that the actress did not die from an overdose, but was killed by the CIA, FBI or housekeeper.

2. Marilyn's autopsy was not completed because her organs were destroyed.


Doctor Noguchi performed an autopsy, but did not give a complete picture. According to his statements, he received the actress's body in the morgue, and samples of her stomach and intestines were destroyed. This affected the toxicology test, leading him to believe she may have been murdered.

He also discovered that other organs had been sent to a toxicology lab but were never tested. The only body parts that underwent extensive testing were samples of her blood and liver.

3. Her housekeeper washed Marilyn's bed linen on the night of her death.


Sergeant Jack Clemmons, who was the first to arrive at the scene of Monroe's death, wrote that the housekeeper Eunice Murray turned on the washing machine when he arrived. In addition, he noticed that Murray was acting strangely and avoiding answering questions.

Conspiracy theorists also believe that the housekeeper's behavior on the night of Marilyn's death is evidence that something inappropriate and suspicious was going on there, and perhaps she knew more than she was saying.

The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe's Death

4. She left ominous message before death.


On the night of her death, Marilyn spoke to several people on the phone. Among them was Peter Lawford, old friend actress and husband of John Kennedy's sister. According to Lawford, Monroe appeared to be under the influence of drugs and she told him:

"Say goodbye to Pat (Patricia Newcomb, her publicist), say goodbye to the President and say goodbye to yourself because you're a good guy.".

Lawford was concerned about Monroe's condition and called several people to check that everything was okay. When he couldn't reach Dr. Greenson, he called lawyer Milton Rudin, who contacted the actress's housekeeper, who said everything was fine.

5. Conspiracy theories surrounding the death of Marilyn Monroe began to gain momentum in the 1970s.


Biography of Marilyn Monroe written by Norman Mailer, was one of the first to suggest the violent death of the actress. When he published it in 1973, conspiracy theories began to take root.

Mailer was the first to suggest that Monroe had an affair with Robert Kennedy that led to her death, for which he was later attacked by critics. Then he said that he suggested that Robert Kennedy was involved because he needed money.

Biorgaf Robert Slatzer later suggested that Monroe was assassinated by the attorney general because she threatened to reveal government secrets that Kennedy had told her. According to journalist Anthony Scaduto, the actress had a “red diary” where secret government information was kept.

6. Half an hour before her death she was happy.


Marilyn received phone call from Joe DiMaggio between 19:00 and 19:15, and everything indicated that she was in good location spirit. DiMaggio told her that he had broken up with a woman whom Monroe did not love. Housekeeper Eunice Murray later confirmed that the actress was "cheerful, cheerful, but not depressed" during the conversation.

Last call she received from Peter Lawford after half an hour between 19:40 and 19:45, during which her speech sounded slurred and barely audible.

7. The police were not the first to report her death.


The police were informed of the death after the actress's psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenson And personal doctor doctor Hyman Engelberg. The Los Angeles Police Department was called around 4:25 a.m., about 1.5 hours after Marilyn was discovered by a housekeeper around 3 a.m. At this time, Eunice Murray, Dr. Greenson and Dr. Engelberg were alone in her house.

8. The case was almost solved in 1982.


Following numerous conspiracy theories published in the 1970s, Los Angeles Attorney General John Van de Kamp ordered a review of the actress's death (which ran to 29 pages and took 3.5 months to prepare) in 1982.

New theory sheds light on the reasons tragic death wonderful blonde, appeared thanks to the insight and pedantry of the Australian director Philip Mora, who incredibly carefully studied the texts of documents that had recently been classified as “Secret”, and published the result of his research in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. After these papers became public knowledge, hope arose that perhaps they contained the answer to a secret that had been fueling the insatiable curiosity of people who had nothing to do with Monroe for decades. The public would really like to know why its star faded, and Philippe Mora found the answer. It turns out that Marilyn’s death, which at first glance looks so much like a voluntary death, was actually the result of a terrible conspiracy in which the actress’s closest people were involved.

Declassified FBI archives indicate that Robert Kennedy, the US Attorney General and part-time lover of the actress, most likely had a hand in Monroe’s murder. Marilyn was deprived of her life in the most cunning and treacherous way imaginable: with the help of a monstrous intrigue, she was forced to commit suicide. The star's inner circle united against her, entering into a conspiracy. It involved a psychoanalyst who advised Monroe and helped her calm her frayed nerves with the very sleeping pills that brought her to the grave; housekeeper in charge household actresses; journalist and good friend of Marilyn, Hollywood actor British-born Peter Lawford, with whom the famous blonde has maintained a relationship since 1949. It is possible that Robert Kennedy himself was among the conspirators; in any case, he was definitely aware of the matter. There is confirmation of this in the secret papers.

From that very day, August 5, 1962, when 36-year-old Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her bed, where she was lying completely naked, the investigation had suspicions. An autopsy determined that she died from poisoning too large dose sleeping pill - barbiturate. At the same time, a version appeared that the star’s suicide was staged: too many dubious details were revealed during the investigation. The conspiracy theory as the cause of Monroe's death also arose a long time ago, but there was no certainty in it, only vague suspicions and speculation that the death of the famous heartbreaker was too much in the hands of the Kennedy brothers - the Attorney General and the President. Allegedly, some details of their “business” relationship with the mafia organization led by the legendary singer Frank Sinatra should not have become public knowledge, and Monroe, completely inappropriately, learned too much and began to pose a threat.

Now it has become known that the direct organizer of the conspiracy, the purpose of which was to kill Marilyn, was her betrayed friend, Peter Lawford. He developed a very warm relationship with Monroe, but with Sinatra he found himself connected by much more significant ties based on money and mutual responsibility, and Kennedy’s sister, Patricia (she died last year at the age of 82), was actually the wife of the British actor . Thus, Marilyn, without knowing it, warmed the snake on her chest.

The declassified archives say: “Peter Lawford (a few words are censored below) knew from Marilyn Monroe’s friends that she admitted the possibility of faking suicide in order to arouse interest in herself.” Presumably, the actor, with the complicity of the other participants in the conspiracy, persuaded the star to fulfill his intention, promising her that some time after she took an overdose of sleeping pills, they would find her and pump her out. The star believed and decided to act out a mystified suicide, but the ending of this performance, according to the conspirators’ script, was different: the actress was allowed to die; She, who had lost consciousness, did not receive help.

Unfortunately, the FBI documents did not reveal the reasons that guided the actress’s killers, but the text still contains some hints. In particular, we're talking about about the banal love triangle: Robert Kennedy, starting an affair with a seductive blonde beauty, promised her that he would soon leave his legal wife for her, but then retracted his words; then the wayward Monroe threatened to make public the most piquant details of their relationship, including sexual ones. To save his reputation, the US Attorney General could dare to take the most drastic measures.

Lawford allegedly contacted Monroe's psychiatrist and offered him a deal. As a result, the actress received a very unusual prescription: she was prescribed to take Seconal (a sedative with a hypnotic effect) in the amount of 60 tablets per course. Considering that the doctor met with his patient quite often, such a generous dosage raises suspicions. The secret documents also contained information that Monroe's housekeeper placed a bottle of pills on her mistress's dressing table after she had fallen into a drug-induced sleep. On the same day, Robert Kennedy allegedly called Lawford and asked if “Marilyn had died after all,” and he, in order to make sure of what he expected, called back the actress’s home phone and later told his interlocutor that no one answered the phone.

Philippe Mora, the author of the sensational article, claims that the document is undoubtedly genuine, but still doubts the reality of the events described in it. “Is all this really just evil jokes from Kennedy’s ardent opponents, or are we already one step away from the historical truth?” - he asks a question. The report, entitled simply and succinctly - “Robert F. Kennedy,” was received by the FBI on October 19, 1964 and was immediately classified.

Marilyn Monroe died of a drug overdose on August 5, 1962 at her home in Brentwood, California. Since then, her death has been the subject of some of the most enduring "conspiracy theories" in history. However, the actual details of her death are as shocking and interesting as the word-of-mouth "conspiracy theory" stories.

Marilyn Monroe died from an overdose of Nembutal, but no pills were found in her stomach

Pathologist Thomas Noguchi explained the absence of tablets in the stomach by the fact that Monroe was already for a long time took drugs. The pills in Monroe's stomach were digested faster than they would have been in a person who had never taken drugs.

On the night of Marilyn's death, the housekeeper was washing her bed linen.

Sergeant Jack Clemmons of the Los Angeles Police Department was the first person to arrive at Monroe's house. He later wrote that housekeeper Eunice Murray was doing laundry when he arrived. He also noted that Murray behaved strangely and was evasive in her answers.

Conspiracy theorists use Murray's behavior on the day of Monroe's death as evidence that there was something out of place and strange, and that perhaps the housekeeper knew more than she was letting on.

She left an ominous message before she died

Monroe spoke to several people on the phone the night she died. Among them was Peter Lawford, an old friend of the actress and brother-in-law of John F. Kennedy. Monroe appeared to be under the influence of drugs, Lawford said.

This report, however, further fuels conspiracy theories that perhaps JFK and the government were somehow involved in Monroe's death.

Conspiracy theories surrounding Monroe's death did not spread until the 1970s

Norman Mailer was one of the first to suggest a possible romance between Monroe and Kennedy. Mailer was the first to suggest that her relationship with him led to her death. He was torn apart by critics, and later admitted: “ten to one that Monroe’s death was an accidental suicide.”

Also in 1975, journalist Anthony Scaduto published an article claiming that Monroe had been ordered to kill the Kennedy brothers and that she kept a “red diary” in which she allegedly kept secret government information that Kennedy had entrusted to her.

She went from happiness to death in less than 30 minutes

Between 7:00 and 7:15 p.m., Monroe had a telephone conversation with DiMaggio Jr., who told her that he had broken up with a young woman whom Monroe disliked. The housekeeper confirmed that Monroe was very happy after the conversation.

The police were not the first to be notified of her death

Monroe's death was reported to the police only after a visit to her home by Monroe's psychiatrist, Dr. Greenson, and physician Hyman Engelberg. The Los Angeles Police Department was called around 4:25 a.m., nearly an hour and a half after Monroe stopped responding to the housekeeper's voice at 3 a.m. During this time, Eunice Murray, Dr. Greenson and Dr. Engelberg were alone in Monroe's house.

When Sergeant Jack Clemmons asked why police were not notified sooner, he said he “had to get permission from the studio publicity department before he could tell anyone.”

The case was almost solved in 1982

Following numerous conspiracy theories published in the 1970s, Los Angeles Attorney General John Van de Kamp in 1982 ordered a review of the actress's death case, which spanned 29 pages and took three and a half months to prepare.

After a thorough investigation, Van de Kamp found that there was no fraud in Monroe's death.

The housekeeper's testimony changed frequently.

Marilyn Monroe's housekeeper Eunice Murray constantly changed her testimony. She initially claimed that she woke up at approximately 3 a.m. and saw a light under Monroe's door, which made her feel anxious. She said she called Greenson, who arrived at the scene a few minutes later. However, according to Sergeant Jack Clemmons, she called Greenson around midnight.

These time discrepancies were interpreted as evidence that Greenson and Murray were a front, as they did not call the police until 4:25 am.

She was supposed to get married three days after her death

Joe DiMaggio and Monroe were originally married on January 14, 1954, but their marriage lasted only 274 days - they divorced in October 1954. They remained friends over the years, and when Monroe was admitted to a mental hospital in 1961, she appealed to him to get her released. According to biographers Norman Mailer and Donald Spoto, the couple was to be married on August 8, 1962, three days after Monroe's death. After her untimely death, DiMaggio sent roses to her grave several times a week for twenty years.

Joe DiMaggio arranged her funeral

Di Mmaggio was devastated by Monroe's death. He organized the star's funeral in a very private ceremony, attended exclusively by her most famous Hollywood friends. People like Frank Sinatra and Peter Lawford were deliberately not invited by DiMaggio, who believed that her Hollywood friends and acquaintances had driven her to the point that led to her untimely death. Only thirty people from Monroe's close friends and relatives were invited.

Monroe was buried in a green Emilio Pucci dress, and her permanent makeup artist, Whitey Snyder, applied makeup to her face for the very last time.

The mystery of Marilyn Monroe's death is revealed: the killer confessed

A real sensation was caused by the news that Marilyn Monroe actually killed by CIA special agents. A veteran of the intelligence bureau told stunned journalists about this literally on his deathbed. Normand Hodges, who decided before his death to publicly repent of his sins.

Now the star's killer is being interrogated by FBI detectives, and we decided to tell in detail all the details of this shocking story...

Killer #1

Norman Hodges was no ordinary operative. For forty years this man was considered almost the best “security specialist” of the CIA. Behind the elegant formulation lies a much simpler explanation: Hodges worked hitman of the highest class.

Special training


Back in early age Normand underwent special training in the ranks of " Navy SEALs" He participated in many CIA foreign raids as an operative and then moved on to more high level: the killer was allowed into sensitive cases. A sniper, an excellent fighter, an expert in poisons and even an explosives technician - the CIA trusted such a person with the most complex, often government orders.

Working days


Normand himself admits in an interview that he was directly ordered to kill people whose activities threatened the security of the country. Journalists and politicians, cultural figures and trade union bosses, mafia tycoons and even scientists - what difference does it make who is killed if the security of the country requires it.

Specialists of the highest standard


Naturally, you can’t do much in such a “business” alone. Hodges was supported by a small task force of four special agents. They also provided Norman with a safe escape and a reliable alibi after he killed the only woman in his career. This woman was Marilyn Monroe.

Why was she killed?


Was there a reason for the head of the CIA to eliminate some actress, albeit a legendary one? Yes, yes. Distinguished by the morality of a street cat (a classic characteristic of US women of that time), Marilyn slept not only with American President John Kennedy. For some time, Fidel Castro was one of her favorites, to whom she could easily convey important and secret information. Marilyn had to die.


My commanding officer, Jimmy Hayworth, told me that she should have died, and that the death should look like suicide or an overdose. I've never killed a woman before, but I obeyed orders... I did it for America! Monroe could convey strategic information communists, we could not allow this. She had to die, I just did what I had to do! — Norman Hodges, CIA operative

Murder undercover


Everyone knew that Marilyn indulged in drugs and strong sleeping pills. On the night of August 5, 1962, Hodges entered the actress’s bedroom and injected the girl, who had already taken sleeping pills, with a powerful mixture of drugs - the sedative chlorohydrate and the barbiturate Nembutal. Then he threw the dying Marilyn off the balcony.

Evidence of death

Hodges' interview had the effect of an exploding bomb. The FBI transported the former operative to the Pentagon special hospital building, where interrogations are now taking place. Norman named the other agents in the group, but three of them were already dead. The latter, whose name is not disclosed in the interests of the investigation, is being sought.