Tom Wargacki/WireImageThe plot thickens.
Hours after the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department announced that it was reopening the case involving the 1981 drowning death of Natalie Wood, the captain of the yacht from which the screen legend died spoke out.
While appearing on the Today show this morning, Dennis Davern admitted that he had not been entirely truthful 30 years ago.
"I made mistakes by not telling the honest truth in a police report," Davern said during an interview with David Gregory on the NBC program Friday.
During the discussion about the tragic 1981 incident, Davern said he believes that Wood's husband, Robert Wagner, was in fact to blame for her demise.
As Davern recalled an argument that the couple allegedly had on the yacht, Gregory asked: "Was the fight between Natalie Wood and her husband Robert Wagner what ultimately led to her death?
"Yes."
Davern also alleged that Wagner instructed him to "not take any steps" to try and locate Wood upon her disappearance.
At a press conference held by the L.A. Sheriff's Department Friday morning, however, Lt. John Corina stated that Wagner is not a suspect.
"On the weekend of Nov. 29, 1981, Natalie Wood Wagner and her husband Robert Wagner spent the weekend on their boat. They were accompanied by the caretaker of the boat and friend Christopher Walken. Sometime during that weekend, Ms. Wood somehow ended up in the water. At the time of the incident, it was investigated by us and the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. Her death was ruled an accident.
"At the Homicide Bureau of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, we are always open to receiving additional information about older cases as well as current cases. Recently we have received information which we felt was substantial and we are going to take another look at this case. The case has been assigned to sheriff's homicide investigators." Corina said.
Even with the new information, Corina reiterated that Wood's death did not appear suspicious. "This is an accidental drowning. That is what it is."
Nonetheless, Corina went on to say that his department will again interview Davern, Wagner and Walken.
Meanwhile, a rep for Wagner released the following statement to E! News on behalf of Wagner and his stepdaughter Natasha Gregson Wagner.
"Although no one in the Wagner family has heard from the L.A. County Sheriff's department about this matter, they fully support the efforts of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department and trust they will evaluate whether any new informatiion relating to the death of Natalie Wood Wagner is valid and that it comes from a credible source or sources other than those simply trying to profit from the 30-year anniversary of her tragic death."
—Additional reporting by Baker Machado