The Murder of Marilyn Monroe: Case Closed

by Jay Margolis, Richard Buskin

The New York Times Bestseller Accepted into The National Press Club Marilyn Monroe died under suspicious circumstances on the night of August 4, 1962. In  The Murder of Marilyn Case Closed , renowned MM expert Jay Margolis and  New York Times  best-selling author Richard Buskin finally lay to rest more than 50 years of wild speculation and misguided assertions by actually naming the screen goddess's killer. At the same time, they use the testimony of eyewitnesses to describe exactly what took place inside her house on Fifth Helena Drive in Los Angeles's Brentwood neighborhood. Implicating Bobby Kennedy in the commission of Monroe's murder, this is the first book to name the LAPD officers who accompanied the attorney general to her home, provide details about how the Kennedys used bribes to silence one of the ambulance drivers, and specify how the subsequent cover-up was aided by a noted pathologist's outrageous lies. This blockbuster volume blows the lid off the world's most notorious and talked-about celebrity death, and in the process also exposes the third gunman in the pantry who delivered the fatal bullet to the back of RFK's head - and the third gunman's female accomplice who, until now, has only been known to the LAPD and the FBI as "the girl in the polka-dot dress."

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Biography, Crime, History, Ebooks, Audiobook

352 pages, Hardcover

First published June 3, 2014

About the author

Jay Margolis graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California and became a Jesse Unruh Research Scholar for his paper on African American Reparations. He spent five years researching how Marilyn Monroe died. This is his first book.

Reviews

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

A meandering and somewhat boring book that purports to expose the nefarious conspiracy that led to the death of Marilyn Monroe, The Murder of Marilyn Monroe commits the usual sins and double standards of a conspiracy theory-driven work. Authors Jay Margolis and Richard Buskin believe that Marilyn Monroe did not die either by an accidental overdose nor suicide. Instead, they claim she was murdered by her disgruntled psychiatrist at the behest of, and in defense of, the Kennedys. Theirs is a confusing theory which argues there cannot be smoke without fire; if people had something to gain from Marilyn Monroe's death then they simply must have been the cause of it. There are no coincidences, you see, and the absence of compelling evidence in support of this theory is, in fact, yet more proof of a vast cover-up.

It's almost cute how hypocritical Margolis and Buskin are in their treatment of the changing stories of principal witnesses and associates of Monroe over the decades since her death. I wouldn't want you to waste your time reading this book so I'll lay it out for you here: basically, if a person cannot keep their story straight but they eventually say something which lends itself to the authors' own beliefs, that person is to be taken seriously and their wandering memories aren't worth worrying about. If, however, their changing stories fail to coincide with the authors' views then they are liars who are parties to the cover-up. If you desperately want to believe that Marilyn Monroe's tragic end was the result of a murderous conspiracy then this book will be right up your street. There's nothing here that will convert a sceptic, however.

[Helen Robare · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book certainly answers a lot of questions about the death of Marilyn Monroe. This book was very interesting and does cause one to wonder. The author sets out his reasons and backs them up for why he believes a specific set of individuals murdered Marilyn Monroe. Looking back on it in the present day and knowing what we now know about our government, it seems quite plausible that she was murdered. When you add in the "red diary" of which rumors have been floating around about since the day she died, I tend to believe she WAS murdered in order to keep her quiet.

The author lays it all out on the line complete with pictures and citations. Though sometimes the time(s) are confusing because he goes from one individual to another, it's still able to be followed pretty easily. IF events did pan out the way he portrays them, Marilyn suffered for quite a while before she died. For this reason alone, I believe, the case should be reopened. And if, as he said, the one gentleman has some of Marilyn's hair, GET IT TESTED!

I find it curious that she supposedly took 40 pills (a combo of Numbutal and Chlora Hydrate) and yet there was no capsule residue in her stomach and she did NOT vomit! I also tend to believe the ambulance driver as he would have no personal reason to lie. As for "Dr" Greenson, he crossed the professional line when he allowed Marilyn to get close to his family. Plus, it sounds like he was in love with Marilyn (rumors also of an affair between them) but trying to put all the blame on HER for "seducing" him!

As for the psychiatrist and Marilyn's personal physician, I believe both had something to do with her death. The fact that they were not keeping each informed about the pills each one was prescribing says a lot about their concern (or lack of concern) for their patient.

Could RFK have a hand in her murder? I don't see any reason why not! After all his brother was able to leave a woman in a submerged car to drown for the sake of his career. No reason why RFK and JFK couldn't/wouldn't stoop to murder someone who might damage their political careers! Do I think JFK had anything to do with the murder per se? No. But I think RFK and Peter Lawford did!

Whether you believe (as I do) that Marilyn was murdered or if you just believe this is another conspiracy theory, this book is interesting reading about an actress who got the short end of the deal no matter how you look at it.

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a lover of conspiracy theories, Marilyn Monroe, The Kennedy's, & general paranoid ravings. I thought that The Murder of Marilyn Monroe would be fun & trashy but instead it was boring & slow moving. It didn't cover anything that hundred other books of its type hadn't already said. Basically this is what the books about: Robert Kennedy ordered Marilyn Monroe killed & Peter Lawford & all Marilyn's doctors were in on it & so was The FBI, CIA, & the LAPD. And 6 years later Republicans killed Robert Kennedy for some reason. This book was boring and incredibly confusing. Don't read this book.

[Saturday's Child · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh my! There are so many names, so many versions of the event and oh so many conspiracies. This book does not convince me that MM was murdered it just demonstrates how many people are out their trying to sell “their story” about the sad death of MM.

[Bob Buice · Rating 3 out of 5]

JFK has a long term affair with Marilyn Monroe – JFK sends his brother, Robert Kennedy (RFK) to tell her that the affair is over – An affair develops with RFK and simultaneously with her psychiatrist, Ralph Greenson, M.D. – RFK ends his affair with Monroe – Monroe feels rejected - Four witnesses see RFK visit Monroe on the afternoon of August 4, 1962 – A shouting match is overheard and Monroe threatens to go public with the contents of her “Red Diary” – RFK informs Greenson, “Marilyn has got to be silenced” - Four witnesses see RFK visit Monroe a second time the same day with actor Peter Lawford and LAPD partners Archie Case and James Ahern – Case and Ahern sedate Monroe and take her to the guest cottage, while RFK and Lawford look for the “Red Diary” – Later Monroe is found unconscious and paramedics are called – Paramedic James Hall is reviving the unconscious Monroe when Greenson arrives and takes over – Greenson stops Hall’s resuscitation attempts and gives her a direct cardiac injection – Monroe’s primary care physician, Hyman Engelberg, M.D., arrives and pronounces her dead - Later, fifteen prescription vials are found on her bedside table, all empty, capped, and free of finger prints – no water is in the room – An autopsy reveals no capsule residue in her stomach or intestines – Pathology of certain organs reveals higher levels of Nembutal than all of her prescriptions could have produced – The medical examiner refused to sign off on suicide, but under pressure, compromised and reports “Probable Suicide”. Shortly prior to his death, Peter Lawford admitted to being involved in the murder of Marilyn Monroe.

Jay Margolis spent five years researching the death of Marilyn Monroe. He and Richard Bushkin present the findings of this research in The Murder of Marilyn Monroe – Case Closed. The vast majority of the above scenario is well documented and convincing. Margolis and Bushkin claim that RFK’s comment that “Marilyn has got to be silenced” was a way of manipulating Greenson into murdering Monroe, although the claim is without verification. Moreover, the search for the “Red Diary” might be questioned, but, in fact, the four of them were there for a considerable period of time.

Overall, Margolis and Bushkin make a convincing case that Marilyn Monroe was murdered and that the Robert Kenneny and Ralph Greenson were the perpetrators. If you appreciate a good murder mystery, this just might be your book.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am feeling too many emotions to even comment on this book...Thank you Jay Margolis for writing it; I believe EVERY single word...Why no one has been held responsible , tried and found guilty, is an abomination. Once you start reading, you will not be able to put it down. This was written last year....and it is shocking! and I think it is ALL TRUE. A cover up from the highest offices in the land...disgusting

[Erik Graff · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is very, very poorly organized. Most of it is about the death of Monroe, a death the authors conclude was a murder ordered by Robert Kennedy and executed by her psychiatrist. An appendix deals with the later murder of RFK himself, a murder definitely NOT performed by Sirhan Sirhan (with this, I agree). The Monroe portion of the book is made up of patchwork of chapters jumping between various aspects of the case and involving interviews and writings of persons too numerous to count (or keep track of). There is no narrative thread holding what appear to be partially digested elements together. The whole thing is painful to read. It may, however, hold some material worth following up in other sources.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book with a sensational (though not new) claim, that being that Marilyn Monroe was murdered and did not commit suicide and that the Kennedy's (John and Robert, with Robert being directly or indirectly involved) were responsible for her murder. It is pretty much accepted fact that Marilyn Monroe had an affair with John Kennedy and had had (or was having) an affair with Robert Kennedy before her death. The accusation in this book is that Robert Kennedy was at her home the day of her murder and he and Marilyn had an argument and he was looking for her diary and Marilyn threatened to hold a news conference and expose the affair.

There is a lot of evidence presented in the book to corroborate the author's theory/explanation of the events. The evidence is not really presented in a cogent or coherent manner and seems to jump around. The book would have been improved by a more logical presentation of the facts presented rather than such a haphazard presentation. The jumping around is why I give the book 3 stars and not 4.

[Lucie Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are many good books written about Marilyn Monroe and this isn't one of them.

In The Murder of Marilyn Monroe: Case Closed, the books blurb claims that renowned MM expert Jay Margolis and New York Times best-selling author Richard Buskin "lay to rest " speculation and misguided assertions about the icon's death.

Most of these eyewitness testimonies I have read elsewhere before anyway. It's been obvious for several years now that evidence points towards the involvement of the Kennedys.

The writers meticulously detail all of the facts and evidence and they have obviously researched the murder thoroughly, but the chapters become repetitive and all the names and people involved gets confusing. It doesn't really flow well and is quite disjointed.

[Ana Luiza Voigt Guimarães · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essa história pode parecer outra obra da teoria da conspiração, mas... depois de ler várias biografias que denunciam seriamente a sujeira que envolvia os Kennedy, todas com respaldo em documentos hoje desclassificados e entrevistas de testemunhas, tudo fica mais plausível e torna-se até esperado.
Na agenda dos Kennedy, muitos nomes estavam marcados para morrer. O que os impediria de "encomendar" uma atriz irritante que sabia demais? Muito fácil, especialmente sendo ela famosa por "desequilíbrios emocionais e tendências suicidas" (afirmações que, creio eu, foram providencialmente exageradas para que o acobertamento fosse "digerido" pelo público de maneira mais fácil e duradoura).
Aqui, os autores identificam Bobby Kennedy como o "mandante" do crime. Aliás, o membro da família Kennedy mais obcecado com os planos de assassinato (que envolviam nomes do alto escalão de certos governos e contava com a ajuda ostensiva da máfia), e o primeiro também a correr para encobrir a promiscuidade do então presidente, era, justamente, seu irmão Bobby. Não era pouca coisa que ele tratava de encobrir, contando com seus assessores e os contatos antigos do [extremamente corrupto] patriarca Joe Kennedy. Eles contavam inclusive com a conivência da imprensa.
Edward (Teddy), o caçula Kennedy, também não era "flor que se cheirasse". Vide o incidente de Chappaquiddick, resultando na morte de Mary Jo Kopechne, afogada, presa no carro que submergiu. Era culpado pela tragédia, porém, na justiça, não deu em n.a.d.a., punição zero... Quem quiser saber mais sobre o episódio, há um filme recente, produção de 2018: "O Legado Kennedy", dirigido por John Curran. Eu não assisti, mas dizem que o filme "puxa sardinha" para Teddy...
Esses crimes, intencionais ou não, não eram um privilégio dos Kennedy. Eram (e são), simplesmente, parte do jogo dos muito ricos obcecados por poder.
__________

O ASSASSINATO DE MARILYN MONROE – EVOLUÇÃO DOS FATOS
•  4 de agosto de 1962

- JFK tem um caso duradouro e antigo com Marilyn Monroe.
- JFK envia seu irmão, Robert Kennedy (RFK) para dizer a ela que não o procure mais.
- Então, Bobby se envolve amorosamente com Marilyn.
- Simultaneamente, Marilyn dorme com seu psiquiatra, Dr. Ralph Greenson.
- RFK termina seu caso com Monroe
- Monroe se sente rejeitada e ameaça contar inúmeros segredos que ouviu dos Kennedy.
- Quatro testemunhas veem RFK visitar Monroe na tarde de 4 de agosto de 1962
- As testemunhas escutam os dois discutindo e Monroe ameaça ir a público com o conteúdo de seu "Diário Vermelho"
- RFK mente para Ralph Greenson, afirmando que Marilyn pretende contar ao público que dorme com o próprio psiquiatra, e acrescenta: "Marilyn precisa ser silenciada”.
- Quatro testemunhas veem RFK retornar à casa de Marilyn, no mesmo dia, acompanhado do ator Peter Lawford e dos parceiros do LAPD (Polícia de Los Angeles): Archie Case e James Ahern.
- Case e Ahern sedam Monroe e a carregam desacordada para a casa de hóspedes, enquanto Bobby e Lawford procuram o tal “Diário Vermelho”.
- Mais tarde, Monroe é encontrada inconsciente e sua governanta Alice Murray, chama uma ambulância.
- Quando James Hall chega à residência, encontra Monroe viva, quase em coma, mas a tempo de ressuscitá-la com procedimentos paramédicos.
- As manobras de reanimação do paramédico estão fazendo efeito, quando Ralph Greenson chega à casa e diz ser o médico da atriz.
- Greenson interrompe as tentativas de ressuscitação de Hall e injeta, de maneira insegura, uma injeção diretamente no coração.
- Acreditando ser uma Injeção intracardíaca com adrenalina, Hall não se pronuncia (ele não tinha autoridade para tal, visto que Greenson se autoproclamara médico da paciente). Porém, a coloração do líquido na seringa não lhe parece ser adrenalina diluída.
- Hall percebe que, logo após a injeção, a atriz morre.
- O médico (verdadeiro) de Monroe, Dr. Hyman Engelberg, finalmente chega, e a declara morta. Contudo, a morte só é anunciada quatro horas após a constatação. 
- Mais tarde, quinze frascos de prescrição são encontrados na mesa de cabeceira do quarto, todos vazios, tampados e sem impressões digitais. Também não há água no quarto e nem vômito da vítima.
- A autópsia não revela resíduos de cápsulas no estômago ou nos intestinos e evidencia que alguns órgãos apresentam níveis extremamente elevados de Nembutal, acima do que todas as receitas médicas da atriz poderiam de fato causar.
- O médico legista se recusa a assinar o atestado de óbito como sendo suicídio. Mais tarde, sob pressão, registra "Provável Suicídio".
- As pessoas diretamente envolvidas são interrogadas e fazem declarações inconsistentes e contraditórias. Algumas simplesmente não foram encontradas, algumas viajam para Europa e lá ficam por longo tempo.
- Anos depois, a governanta, Srª Murray, reclma que não tem mais que “encobrir o caso”, e admite que Bobby esteve na residência de Marilyn no dia de sua morte.
- Pouco antes de falecer, Peter Lawford admitiu estar envolvido no assassinato de Marilyn Monroe.
__________

Jay Margolis passou cinco anos pesquisando a estranha morte de Marilyn Monroe. Ele e Richard Bushkin apresentam os resultados desta investigação em “The Murder of Marilyn Monroe - Case Closed”. Todos os acontecimentos discriminados nos itens acima são exaustivamente explicados, bem documentados... e convincentes.
Margolis e Bushkin afirmam que o comentário de Bobby ("Marilyn tem que ser silenciada") foi uma estratégia para manipular Greenson, levando-o a assassiná-la via injeção cardíaca Monroe, embora a afirmação seja sem verificação.
Além disso, a existência do “Diário Vermelho” pode ser questionada, mas, na verdade, os quatro estiveram na casa de Marilyn por um período considerável de tempo - talvez procurando algo?
De maneira abrangente, Margolis e Bushkin apresentam uma investigação convincente e expõem muitas evidências embasadas de que Marilyn Monroe foi assassinada, e de que Robert Kenneny e Ralph Greenson foram os perpetradores.

[Dwight Koslowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

Confusing syntax, characters often identified by first names, with last names given in subsequent pages made this the most difficult read in a long time. The book was written in a seemingly random time sequence. I wouldn't recommend this book.

[Kendall · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I would have skipped straight to the timeline at the end of the book.

[Alex Mercure · Rating 2 out of 5]

You could read a newspaper article and you'll get the gist of this book

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

very repetitive and hard to follow at times. an interesting read nonetheless.

[Kathryn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got this at a book sale for a dollar, and while it was not the worst book I ever read and entertained me for a few hours, this was a horrible book. The only thing that saved it was the last chapter that revealed that Robert Kennedy was almost certainly NOT shot by Sirhan Sirhan, who was facing RFK when he was shot but the entry wound was in the back of his head -- I did not know that.. (The only reason that was included as a last section was because of the Schaefer Ambulance connection, which according to the authors, handled all the celebrity 'pick-ups' due to their discretion and Margolis implies was a very shady operation.)

So what I actually hated about the book were 1) it's many, many repeats, 2) making a lot of assumptions, and 3) not properly identifying all the major players (for example, Margolis would often introduce a 'player' with only his first or last name and then not even identify who exactly this person was in relation to Monroe's murder until later, and ditto for acronyms -- this was very annoying to me). Also, about ten of the photos reproduced in the book were just posed shots of Monroe that were not at all relevant to the murder, and the photos that were relevant were blurry and often repeats -- I mean, how many photos of Monore's covered body and ambulance photos did we really need to see?

[Jeffrey Falk · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has some fascinating information but mostly consists of contradictory eyewitness accounts that are impossible to prove or disprove at this stage. Many of the assertions are dubious. (One example is that Marilyn Monroe would have been alive at the time of publication if her doctor had not injected her with Nembutal, which, given her 1926 birthdate and 1962 lifestyle, is certainly questionable.) The authors also don't seem to appreciate how complicated this case is as they present it. They report that she lunged at Robert Kennedy with a knife the day of her death, which is one reason their version of events was as much of a defensive mercy killing as it was a "murder". The book, like so many these days, is poorly written (or at least poorly edited) and sometimes confusing. The postscript about the Robert Kennedy assassination is based on one eyewitness identification over four decades after the fact and is neigh on worthless. (The authors don't even state why they suspected their suspects in the first place.)

[Stuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shocking if true. A very confusing jumble of evidence. I came away with the feeling that while it was probably true I can't really say if the evidence and witness statements are true or not. It seems almost inevitable that something bad was going to happen to her, either an accidental overdose, suicide attempt to seek attention, a political murder for knowing too much, or a committal to a mental institution due to her mental issues initiated by her psychiatrist and/or lawyer who was getting fed up with her constant calls. A more general book about her life and death will definitely be more interesting if you are wondering what happened to her.

[Efguirguis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

Case for Marilyn's murder established and villains identified. Why bore readers to death by repeating every detail from a zillion sources over and over rather than discuss more relevant and interesting description of the protagonists, or rather villains? Whatever happened to her diary? What were its contents?
If murder is proven as seems likely and the murderer/s got of Scott free, what does that say about the American justice system?!
Perhaps, in this case, the Curse of the Kennedys took care of that!

[Candace W · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't really feel like this book offers anything new, or even really provides a factual backing of the events presented as how she really died. It felt like numerous contradictory accounts that are not really disproved, nor verified. It was disappointing to read actually. I also thought there were parts that were quite pointlessly repetitive (did he have to spell out the address of the house every single time?)

I would say skip the book and read the timelines and autopsy report info at the end of the book.

[Donna Fielder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Confused and Dazed

This book was really disorganized. It contained good information but
It seemed to be in no particular order. There was no beginning, middle or end. I've always believed one or both of the Kennedy brothers were involved in Marilyn Monroe's death. This book supports that. But while the things I learned were shocking, the effect was diluted by the method of presentation.

[Harvey Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat interesting “conspiracy theory” book that is fun to read every so often. This one is not as well written as some unfortunately. Lots of circumstantial evidence, and eye witness testimony from years later. Not totally convincing.

It does give somewhat of a glimpse of who a Marilyn Monroe was .

[Julian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is pretty comprehensive and probably tells a person a lot that they would never need to know but it is not bad. I think it would make a good textbook because of all of the information that you have to keep track of.

[GeneralTHC]

3.5

Great bathroom fodder. That's about the extent of it. You'll just never know what's actually true and to what extent that's the case. It's like a 300 page National Enquirer article. Probably bits and pieces are true, but good luck with that.

[Diana Petty-stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will she ever be able to rest in peace? There is really nothing new here. A few tidbits about the people who where there that night, for one reason or another and a group of ladies playing bridge with a bird's eye view of MM's driveway.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book into Marilyn's death. So many people involved and most have passed away after 50+ years. Sometimes it was tricky to keep track of who was who. Definitely a listen you need to pay attention to every detail.

[Shawna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of time and research went into this book. The facts presented were scoured from many sources and all compiled in this book.

[Shannon Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skipped around a lot.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a good bit about Marilyn Monroe murder. This book doesn't help much. I did learn more about her life. I feel sorry for how she was treated.

[Leslie Shinault · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't finish it. The beginning was so disjointed and jumped all over that I never could get into the book.

[Reva · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book was all over the place - some parts were interesting and yeah it is pretty clear the Kennedys had her whacked. But there was a lot that seemed irrelevant to me.