Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of suicide. Reader discretion is advised.
Marilyn Monroe rose to fame during the 1950s and early 1960s and captured hearts during her time in the spotlight. However, the actress‘ death at just 36 left the world devastated. She was found unresponsive in her room at her Brentwood, California, home.
One of the most popular icons in American history, Marilyn’s final moments were unfortunately tragic. The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes previously explored the controversies surrounding her untimely death. The Netflix documentary, directed by Emma Cooper, chronicles her life through unseen interviews and archival footage.
Marilyn Monroe’s cause of death reveals how the actress died
Per People Magazine, Marilyn Monroe presumably died on August 4, 1962, by an overdose and “probable suicide.” However, the date and time of her death have been registered as August 5 at 3:50 a.m. The coroner’s toxicology report ruled her cause of death was acute barbiturate poisoning. Around that time, Monroe was under constant care from a doctor and psychiatrist. To treat her mental health issues, she was prescribed numerous medications, but Monroe tragically died after ingesting a lethal dose of a drug, Nembutal, which is used to treat anxiety. In addition to that, she also ingested a large dose of chloral hydrate, a sedative.
Although the circumstances around Monroe’s death have been speculative, the rumors stemmed from the actress’ connection with the Kennedy family, reported People Magazine. Moreover, some investigators had believed CIA’s involvement in her death, while several others doubted why her body wasn’t turned over to medical examiners for hours. Subsequently, the Los Angeles District Attorney John Van de Kamp reopened the case of Marilyn Monroe’s death in 1982. After further investigation, her death was still declared to be caused by a drug overdose.
Anthony Summers, an Irish-born journalist and author, then embarked on his investigation and unearthed 650 tape-recorded interviews. Eventually, they were released to the public in Netflix’s The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes. Summers told the outlet, “There is no good evidence” that Monroe was “murdered.” He added that “she took too many pills” as “a cry for help or intending suicide.”
The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes is available to watch on Netflix.
