
Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson, died on August 4, 1962 from an acute overdose of barbiturates, a fact that experts do not dispute. What is not clear, however, is whether he took those drugs intentionally, by mistake or by force. Dozens of theories pose different variations on these issues of suicide, accidental overdose and murder. What exactly happened on the night of his death remains a mystery to this day.
Suicide
Officially, the cause of Marilyn Monroe’s death is listed as a “probable suicide” and it can be convincingly argued that she has actually taken her own life. Her biological father, whose identity remains unknown, was not present for her as a child, and her mother would be violent and mentally unstable. As a result, she spent almost her entire childhood and early adolescence in foster families, after which she entered into a marriage of convenience with her neighbor, James Dougherty, at just 16. This marriage, along with two others with baseball legend Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller, ended in a divorce and was said to have been involved in numerous scandalous affairs in search of happiness for a lifetime. Presumably, he had attempted suicide several times during the 1940s and 1950s, incidents that were largely kept out of the press by the studio’s publicists.
In 1962, his monumental career was said to be slipping away. The study that had promoted it in the past, 20th Century Fox, now considered it a responsibility. His last films had no commercial success and his behavior on the set of his unfinished film Something to give had become very irregular. She became addicted to various substances, including alcohol, to cope with her past, chronic stage fear, and the pressure of fame, and spent some time in a psychiatric hospital in 1961.
In this context, Monroe had access to large amounts of Nembutal, a barbiturate that she often used (or abused) to help her sleep. He also had a prescription for another less addictive sleep aid, chloralium hydrate. The idea that she committed suicide by ingesting an overdose of Nembutal and chloralium hydrate could be seen as an unfortunate end to a very troubled life.
Accidental pharmacological interaction
According to a line of thought, Marilyn Monroe’s death was the result of an accidental drug interaction, mainly caused by the lack of communication between her personal doctor, Dr. Hyman Engelberg, and her psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenson.In 1962, the actress had developed a clear Nembutal addiction, but agreed to let Greenson wean her from the drug by switching to chlor Some people think he secretly continued to take Nembutal, and Engelberg had provided a refill only a few days before his death. Apparently neither of the two doctors was aware of the other’s actions regarding his addiction, and when he took both drugs at the same time, a fatal drug interaction presumably occurred.
Murder
A third theory suggests that an individual or group of conspirators killed Monroe to ensure his silence. Through a mutual friend, he met with President John F. Kennedy and his brother, Robert, and rumors of sexual relations with both men have spread through tabloids. Some individuals who studied the circumstances of the actress’ death believe she was killed so that John and Robert could escape further scandals and keep their reputation and career intact. Also, he had reportedly spoken with the president about political issues, so another possibility is that the brothers, under Robert’s leadership, authorized his murder because of the risk he posed to national security – a neighbor living next to his bungalow testified that he saw Robert Kennedy and two other men enter the house the night of Monroe’s death around 7:00 a., and a man is said to have The apparent connections between the Kennedys, Sam Giancana and the mafia also led to speculation that she was killed to send a message to the First Family.
Problems with theories
The theory of suicide has a big flaw as the degree of digestion of Nembutal in Monroe’s system suggested that it was alive for at least a few hours after taking a dose. Similarly, chloral hydrate was already concentrated in the liver rather than in the blood, further suggesting that he 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 the scene that could have helped her take the pills. Physical examinations revealed no signs of injection, leaving only the possibility of further subsequent doses administered rectally, but experts believe it is unlikely that he could have received treatment in this way without help. Reports also indicate that his body has been clearly shifted.
The idea of an accidental overdose does not explain the claims that Robert Kennedy and other men were seen on Monroe’s property. Also, it does not provide a reason why virtually everyone involved changed the story they told the police at some point. The loss or destruction of much of the evidence or documents related to the case is also suspected. The line of reasoning of the murder is questionable, however, because an ambulance was reportedly sent.
Conclusion
The fact that some degree of cover-up was involved in Monroe’s death is clear, but the reason officials attempted to obfuscate the truth is the real mystery. If she had committed suicide, they could have changed their stories and influenced the records to make her look more mentally stable and protect her from further stigma, or to try to make her image more immortal, as she has become, with a seductive air of uncertainty. With an accidental overdose, the secrecy surrounding his death may have been an effort to protect the reputation of his doctors, who failed to coordinate their care efforts. The concept of a seductive woman betrayed by heads of government or “taken out” by the mafia is worthy of Hollywood, of course, but if it had happened to Monroe in real life, keeping him shut up would have kept an unspecified number of political and career projects possible. Regardless of whether his death was self-inflicted, accidental, or a criminal act, it was the tragic end of the fascinating life of a Hollywood icon.