Analysis Of The Theories Of Marilyn Monroe's Death

Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her home on the 5th of August 1962. Marilyn was best known as the sex symbol, blonde bombshell of the Hollywood movies, such as “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and “How to marry a Millionaire”. Plagued by mental health issues and her history of drug abuse, it was easy for investigators and paramedics to conclude that she had committed suicide. Those first on the scene found empty pill bottles and this finalised the theory, but what was not present was a glass or bottle of water which would have been needed to swallow the amount number of tablets they claimed killed her. Ironically the coroner’s report stated there was no trace of pills found in her stomach. Surely, there must have been some evidence at the scene or in her stomach that proved she had taken the tablets. Soon after her death, one of the police sergeants involved claimed that her body looked as if it had been placed in an unusual position: it was claimed that she was staged naked on the bed. There were a few theories on how or why Marilyn Monroe died and most point the finger of blame at the White House.

The suicide theory cannot be supported by the coroner’s report, because there was no trace of the pills found in her body. Yet the coroner concluded, on paper, that her death was a suicide. Most people believed it was due too many issues within her public and private lives. Her career falling apart had to be pivotal and her biggest issue was the movie industry thinking she was a liability. She was either not turning up to shoots or she was turning up intoxicated or fearful and not able to carry out her job. Her natural beauty and looks were disappearing due to the drug and alcohol abuse she was putting herself through. In many ways she was self-harming and therefore responsible for her career failure. During this time her affair with President John F Kennedy came to an end, . Ttheir affair was like an open secret but she was embarrassing the President of the United States as she was getting caught on camera being drunk and disorderly due to her addictions. Underneath all these issues was the fact that Marilyn Monroe had suffered from depression and suicidal thoughts from her teen years. Ironically she was only properly diagnosed with depression when she was 35. So why did the studio doctors ignore her cry for help and prescribe her more drugs? Was it not because they needed her to function and be camera ready when the studio required her on set? Monroe self-referred into a psychiatric clinic but did not stay long as she feared turning into her mother who had spent her whole life in and out of clinics. This caused Marilyn to fear abandonment. Since her mother could not look after her, as she spent her youth in and out of foster homes. With a confused and chaotic childhood, it is no wonder the woman had issues.

The murder theory has been upheld because her housekeeper Eunice Murray was acting very strangely and there were different stories that came to light about the circumstances of the death. Not to mention that the police felt as if her body had been moved and questions arose about her being able to swallow 47 nembutal pills without water and medical experts felt it was guaranteed she would have vomited. Even if these anomalies could be explained the issue of timing is definitely out of kilter. The housekeeper had told the police she had knocked on Marilyn’s door around midnight, and, with no answer, she felt she was sufficiently concerned to phone Marilyn’s private psychiatrist Robert Greenson. Even the cynical among us must wonder why the concern to even chap the door at midnight. This is, after all, party girl Marilyn Monroe we are talking about. Unless Greenson lived 300 miles away, one would assume he would arrive quite sharply but that begs the question of why the police were not called until 4.25am. It would be ridiculous to assume they were calling politely through the door for 4 hours. Both doctor and housekeeper must have realised how stupid their story was, because under interview, they changed the story and took it forward 3 hours. So why have they changed their alibi? Just to add more confusion, the police found Eunice doing laundry when they arrived. You’d think she would be shocked that she had found Marilyn dead and I’m quite sure the laundry could have waited to the next morning. But then again, what was she having to wash and did anyone look into that? According to author and investigative journalist Anthony Summers, Eunice Murray eventually told him the true reason for her changing her story to the police. Apparently, Senator Bobby Kennedy had been in Marilyn’s house that day and Eunice claimed, “I told whatever I thought was good to tell.” In this one statement, she has managed to shift the accusation of murder from her to the Kennedys.

The theory that Bobby Kennedy had something to do with the superstar’s death makes more sense. On the night of Marilyn’s death he said he was in San Francisco, but Eunice’s son-in-law, Norman Jeffries, who now claims he was at the house that evening, stated that Kennedy arrived with actor Peter Lawford. Jeffries claimed he heard a very fierce argument between Bobby and Marilyn, but the details seem vague. Were they fighting about her affair with JFK or about her affair with him? Or was Marilyn going to go to the press about the affair? Apparently, there was a diary that she kept and in it she wrote about her affairs with both the Kennedy brothers and it was also said to have information on how the Kennedys were linked to the mafia and conversations they had with her about their plot to kill Fidel Castro. So, did Bobby take things into his own hands so Marilyn couldn’t be a witness? Did he accidentally kill her? According to Norman Jeffries, Marilyn’s filing cabinet had been smashed and broken into: is that why Bobby was at the house? Did he find the diary? Or was he looking for something else?

The theory that Marilyn Monroe’s association with the Kennedys got her killed is very convincing. The theory that Bobby did it makes sense as she could have ruined their family’s reputation and affected his brother’s re-election for president. So, was Bobby covering for John? Marilyn’s last phone call was to the White House, so who did she speak to? The conspiracy theory about the diary and the Kennedys having more than