Marilyn Monroe’s cause of death is officially listed as a “probable suicide,” but theories of accidental overdose and homicide exist. Monroe had a troubled life, struggled with addiction, and had attempted suicide in the past. Some believe her death was accidental due to a lack of communication between her doctors, while others suggest she was killed to ensure her silence about rumored affairs with President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert. Physical evidence and changing stories from those involved make it difficult to determine what truly happened, but Monroe’s death remains a tragic end to the life of a Hollywood icon.
Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson, died on August 4, 1962 of an acute overdose of barbiturates, a fact that experts do not dispute. What’s not clear, however, is whether she took those drugs intentionally, by mistake, or forcibly. Dozens of theories posit different variations on these themes of suicide, accidental overdose, and homicide. Exactly what happened the night of her death remains a mystery to this day.
Suicide
Officially, Marilyn Monroe’s cause of death is listed as a “probable suicide” and it can be argued convincingly that she actually took her own life. Her biological father, whose identity remains unknown, was not present for her as a child, and her mother was allegedly abusive and mentally unstable. As a result, she spent nearly all of her childhood and early teens in foster homes, after which she entered into an arranged marriage of convenience with her neighbor, James Dougherty, at just 16 years old. This marriage, along with two others to baseball legend Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller, ended in divorce and she was said to have been involved in numerous scandalous affairs in pursuit of happiness throughout her life. Allegedly, she had attempted suicide several times during the 1940s and 1950s, incidents that were largely kept out of print by studio publicists.
By 1962, his monumental career was said to be slipping away. The studio that had promoted her in the past, 20th Century Fox, now saw her as a liability. Her later films were commercially unsuccessful and her behavior on the set of her unfinished film Something to Give had become very erratic. She became addicted to various substances, including alcohol, to cope with her past, chronic stage fright, and the pressure of fame, and she spent some time in a mental hospital in 1961.
In this context, Monroe had access to large quantities of Nembutal, a barbiturate she often used (or abused) to help her sleep. She also had a prescription for another less addictive sleep aid, chloral hydrate. The idea that she committed suicide by ingesting an overdose of Nembutal and chloral hydrate could be seen as an unfortunate end to a very troubled life.
Accidental drug interaction
According to one line of thought, Marilyn Monroe’s death was the result of an accidental drug interaction, primarily caused by a lack of communication between her personal physician, Dr. Hyman Engelberg, and her psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenson. By 1962, the actress had developed a clear dependence on Nembutal, but she agreed to let Greenson wean her off the drug by switching to chloral hydrate. Some people think she secretly continued to take Nembutal, and Engelberg had provided a refill just days before her death. Apparently neither doctor was aware of the other’s actions regarding her addiction, and when she took both drugs at the same time, a fatal drug interaction presumably occurred.
Homocide
A third theory suggests that an individual or group of conspirators killed Monroe to ensure her silence. Through a mutual friend, she met President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert, and rumors of sexual affairs with both men swept the tabloids. Some individuals who have researched the circumstances of the actress’s death believe she was killed so that John and Robert could escape further scandal and keep their reputations and careers intact. He had also reportedly talked to the president about political matters, so another possibility is that the brothers, under Robert’s leadership, authorized his assassination because of the risk he posed to national security – a neighbor who lived next door to her bungalow testified that she saw Robert Kennedy and two other men enter the house on the night of Monroe’s death at around 7:00 a.m., and one man was said to be carrying a black medical bag. The apparent connections between the Kennedys, Sam Giancana and the mob have also led to speculation that she was killed to send a message to the First Family.
Problems with theories
The suicide theory has a major flaw in that the degree to which Nembutal digested in Monroe’s system suggested that she was alive for at least a few hours after taking a dose. Similarly, the chloral hydrate was already concentrated in the liver rather than the blood, further suggesting that she had taken the drug earlier in the day. Although physical evidence suggests she died quickly, no drugs were found in her stomach and no glasses were found at her scene that could have helped her take the pills. Physical exams revealed no signs of injection, leaving only the possibility of further subsequent doses given rectally, but experts believe it is unlikely that she could have received treatment in this way without help. Reports also indicate that her body has clearly been moved.
The idea of an accidental overdose does not explain claims that Robert Kennedy and other men were seen on Monroe’s property. It also doesn’t provide a reason why virtually everyone involved changed the story they told police at some point. The loss or destruction of much of the evidence or documents related to the case is also suspicious. The murder’s line of reasoning is questionable, however, because an ambulance was reportedly dispatched.
Conclusion
That some degree of cover-up was involved in Monroe’s death is clear, but why officials attempted to obfuscate the truth is the real mystery. If she had committed suicide, they might have changed their histories and influenced records of her to make her seem more mentally stable and protect her from further stigma, or to try to make her image of her more immortal than her, as she has become. , with an alluring air of uncertainty. With an accidental overdose, the secrecy surrounding her death may have been an effort to protect the reputation of her doctors, who failed to coordinate their efforts for treatment. The notion of the seductive woman betrayed by government leaders or “taken out” by the mob is Hollywood-worthy, sure, but if it happened to Monroe in real life, keeping him quiet would have kept untold number of political and career plans possible. Whether her death was self-inflicted, accidental, or a criminal act, it was the tragic end to the glamorous life of a Hollywood icon.
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