Why James Patterson Believes Marilyn Monroe Was Murdered

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James Patterson has a theory about Marilyn Monroe‘s death.

The author of the new novel, The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe: A True Crime Thriller, thinks Marilyn Monroe was probably murdered because of her relationships with influential people, including President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Frank Sinatra.

Patterson said in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter that she was in a risky situation. According to Patterson, she was given sensitive information and kept records of it, possessing details that could have been harmful.

After researching Marilyn Monroe’s life with Imogen Edwards-Jones for their book – which is presented as a fictionalized account – the 78-year-old author explained, “Many people are unfamiliar with the full story.”

“There’s a lot of stuff I didn’t know,” he continued. “I didn’t know much about the death scene.”

Patterson explained that while many people have some familiarity with her, they don’t really know much at all. He believes people would be surprised by what they don’t know.

TopMob News has reached out to Monroe’s estate for comment but hasn’t heard back.

Marilyn Monroe died in August 1962 at her home in Los Angeles. She was 36 years old. Authorities concluded she died from taking too many barbiturates, and they found sleeping pills in her system along with empty pill bottles near her bed.

In the years after Marilyn Monroe’s death, many people doubted the official explanation, prompting the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office to investigate the circumstances in the 1980s.

According to then-District Attorney John Van de Kamp, the evidence suggested the woman’s death was either a suicide or an accidental overdose, as he told the Los Angeles Times.

According to a report from that time, investigators believed the murder would have needed a huge conspiracy involving many people – including the person or people who committed the crime, the chief medical examiner, the doctor who performed the autopsy, and virtually all the police officers and their supervisors involved in the case.

The investigation revealed no reliable evidence to suggest that a murder took place, according to the report.

To look back on Monroe’s most iconic moments, read on.

Oh my gosh, that dress! Everyone recognizes Marilyn’s white halter dress, it’s just… iconic! William Travilla, the genius designer, totally understood that the costume for Seven Year Itch had to be unforgettable for that scene – you know, the one with the subway grate? He knew it needed that ‘wow’ factor, and it definitely delivered. The way the pleated skirt blew up and she playfully tried to hold it down… it’s just perfection! I’ve watched that scene a million times, and it still gives me chills!

A wide ribbon emphasized Marilyn’s waist and helped the dress keep its shape, while the skirt flowed beautifully in the breeze. Her large white earrings, perfectly styled curls, and bright red lipstick added to the glamorous look. Interestingly, despite the scene having a somewhat suggestive tone, Marilyn was careful to remain modest and wore two pairs of white underwear to avoid any unintended exposure, according to The New York Times.

Marilyn Monroe’s daring dress caused quite a stir. For President John F. Kennedy’s birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden in May 1962, she famously walked on stage wearing a white fur coat. She then dramatically removed it, revealing a shimmering, form-fitting gown and captivating the audience as she sang “Happy Birthday, Mr. President.”

Designer Jean Louis created the daring dress from a sheer fabric and adorned it with rhinestones so Marilyn Monroe would sparkle on stage, according to Christopher Nickens and George Zeno, authors of Marilyn in Fashion. They note that she wore nothing underneath the dress.

In May 2022, Kim Kardashian sparked debate when she wore a historically significant dress to the Met Gala. The dress was borrowed from the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum.

Surprisingly, Marilyn Monroe’s first costume for her iconic “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” performance in Gentleman Prefer Blondes was quite revealing – a diamond-studded bustier and matching underwear. But the studio asked designer William Travilla to make it more modest, as detailed in Marilyn in Fashion. He then created the famous hot pink strapless dress, which ended up becoming a star in its own right.

The dress was made of shimmering satin, perfectly complementing the many diamonds Marilyn Monroe wore in the movie. A large bow, detailed with black velvet, added a dramatic touch to the back. Long opera gloves and sparkling open-toe heels completed the glamorous look.

In 1985, Madonna cemented her status as a pop icon by recreating scenes from the classic musical “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” for her “Material Girl” music video, meticulously copying the look and feel of the original, including the costumes and set design.

Marilyn Monroe wore this shimmering gold dress on several occasions, but it’s best remembered from a famous series of photographs. Designed by William Travilla, the dress had a beautifully pleated fabric and a low-cut, halter-style neckline that sparkled whenever she moved.

According to Christopher Nickens and George Zeno, the dress was so fitted that the actress had to be sewn into it, as it was constructed from a single, unbroken piece of fabric.

In 1962, the famous actress gracefully walked across the stage at the Golden Globes to accept the Henrietta Award for World Film Favorite Female. This was Marilyn’s first big Hollywood appearance after a few years of staying out of the spotlight, and she celebrated by wearing a stunning emerald green gown.

Designed by Norman Norell, this figure-hugging dress was completely covered in sequins and had a unique armhole design. Marilyn Monroe famously wore it with the armhole openings facing outwards, which unexpectedly transformed the original boatneck neckline into a V-neck.

Kim wore the famous floor-length gown again in May, shortly after the 2022 Met Gala, reminding everyone of the stunning dress.

The famous actress captivated American soldiers in Korea with her stunning entrance. She wore a shimmering, purple gown adorned with a delicate, winding pattern of sequins. As reported in Marilyn in Fashion, she confessed that wearing the dress made her feel like a true star for the very first time.

Marilyn and her husband, Joe DiMaggio, were honeymooning when she entertained the troops. She adored a particular dress so much that she requested designer Ceil Chapman create a black version for her.

The actress from Niagara mesmerized viewers with her portrayal of the seductive and dangerous Rose in the film-noir thriller. While her striking magenta dress with the keyhole detail is well-remembered, it was a different, bolder red outfit that really stunned audiences.

Marilyn looked stunning in her outfit: a vibrant, wide-sleeved wool jacket, a low-cut white blouse, and a classic black pencil skirt. As she walked away, swaying her hips, she created a truly memorable image.

Marilyn turned heads at the premiere of How to Marry a Millionaire wearing a stunning white gown designed by William Travilla. The dress featured delicate white lace covered in shimmering sequins, which stood out beautifully against the nude-colored fabric underneath.

A beautiful ivory sash accentuated her glamorous look. Staying true to Marilyn Monroe’s style, she completed the outfit with luxurious accessories: a fur shawl, long satin gloves, and sparkling diamond earrings. Madonna famously recreated this iconic look at the Oscars in 1991.

Marilyn Monroe famously posed for publicity photos wearing a simple, almost makeshift dress – some say it was even a potato sack! The story goes that a critic harshly judged her outfit at a Beverly Hills Hotel party, calling it “cheap and vulgar” and suggesting she’d have looked better in a potato sack – a comment that ironically led to the iconic photoshoot.

Many people think the studio used the scandal surrounding Marilyn Monroe to draw attention to her iconic dress. However, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the real reason behind the outfit was likely just a marketing ploy by Twentieth Century Fox to promote their new star. They seemingly wanted to suggest she was so stunning, she could make even something ordinary, like a potato sack, look glamorous.

While Marilyn Monroe’s white dress in The Seven Year Itch is famous, the glittering, sheer dress she wore in Some Like It Hot was actually her most daring movie costume.

According to the book Marilyn in Fashion, costume designer Orry-Kelly described Marilyn Monroe’s iconic silver dress as being made of a subtly shimmering fabric cut on the bias to flatter her figure. He explained it was lightly beaded over the breasts in a way that didn’t fully cover her nipples, requiring director Billy Wilder to use a specific spotlight to keep the area discreetly shadowed.

The dress has a simple front, but the back is dramatically open, giving the impression she intentionally left it unzipped. A heart-shaped cutout on the back adds a playful and unexpected detail, like a fun twist on the saying ‘wearing your heart on your sleeve’.

Before Marilyn Monroe became famous for her iconic nude dress, she actually wore a design by Jean Louis in one of her first films, Ladies of the Chorus. During a sultry performance of “Every Baby Needs a Da-da-daddy,” she wore a glamorous black chiffon gown that fit the song’s mood.

The evening gown had a see-through top with a low-cut neckline and long sleeves covered in diamond-shaped sequins. Sequins were arranged in vertical lines down the skirt, stopping at the high thigh slit.

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2025-11-25 01:18