Marilyn Monroe death still a mystery
A half century after Marilyn Monroe died at age 36 under suspicious circumstances, technological advances have been made that could have altered the investigation into her death were it to occur today.
With DNA analysis and modern drug databases, investigators would have tools not available in 1962.
Ahalf-century has not dimmed suspicions about the death of Marilyn Monroe at age 36, but the intervening decades have seen technological leaps that could alter the investigation were it to occur today.
DNA, more sophisticated electronic record-keeping, drug databases and other advances would give investigators more information than they were able to glean after Monroe’s Aug. 5, 1962, death — 50 years ago this Sunday.
Whether any of the tools would lead to a different conclusion — that Monroe’s death from acute barbiturate poisoning was a probable suicide — remains a historical “What if ?”
“The good news is we’re very advanced from 50 years ago,” said Max Houck, a forensic consultant and co-author of The Science of Crime Scenes. Monroe’s death stunned the world and quickly ig- nited speculation that she died from a more nefarious plot than the official cause of death.
The Internet, digital imaging and more sophisticated testing mean that Monroe’s death, if it occurred today, would be subject to even more forensic scrutiny. Although Monroe’s autopsy report includes an accounting of the medications taken from her bedroom, investigators are now able to do far deeper analysis of prescriptions. A state database allows investigators to scrutinize prescriptions issued to patients. Houck said perhaps the biggest development for investigators to mine in a case similar to Monroe’s is a star’s digital footprints: their phone calls, e-mails, texts, and other online activities. However, toxicology testing, which has improved since 1962, was lacking in Monroe’s case.
Samples from Monroe’s stomach and intestines were destroyed before they were tested for drugs, which would not occur today.