NCIS Season 16 is Bringing Back This Controversial Guest Star
Amid a real-life homicide investigation, Robert Wagner is reprising his role on NCIS as DiNozzo Senior. Fans have waited a long time to see Wagner back in action, but his legal issues outside of the show has placed a dark cloud over his return.
Wagner is set to appear in episode 16 this season, titled “Bears and Cubs.” The installment will see DiNozzo, Sr. teaming up with Ed (Larry Miller) to help Jimmy (Brian Dietzen) on a case. Fans usually have a positive response to seeing Wagner on screen, but that might change in light of new developments in his late wife’s murder investigation.
Robert Wagner with Natalie Wood, 50's pic.twitter.com/vY71ao3wFv
— Robert Wagner Page (@MuchLoveToRJ) February 10, 2019
According to Radar Online, Homicide detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have named Wagner a person of interest in the death of Natalie Wood, who passed away in the fall of 1981. Wood’s body was discovered under mysterious circumstances off the coast of Catalina Island.
Detectives claim they have found additional pieces of evidence in the case against Wagner and requested permission to exhume Wood’s body. Inside sources say that investigators hope to uncover more evidence by performing a second autopsy and are specifically looking for head trauma.
“Homicide detectives went to the Los Angeles County District Attorney for backing, asking a judge for a search warrant to exhume Natalie’s body,” an insider revealed.
RJ's NCIS episode, Bears & Cubs will air on Tuesday March 5, 2019. pic.twitter.com/nevMV6YDYo
— Official Robert Wagner Website (@WagnerWebsite) February 19, 2019
The source noted that Wood hired a team of attorneys to combat the exhumation order. Police officers do not need a warrant from the district attorney to exhume a body, but it helps having additional support, especially when it comes to high-profile cases. The DA’s office, however, told the investigators that they needed more evidence to exhume the body, and Wagner refuses to cooperate.
Wagner has denied any involvement in his wife’s tragic death. The 89-year-old actor has not commented about the efforts to exhume Wood’s body, though it is pretty clear he wants to avoid digging up the past.
Fan can see Robert Wagner return when episode 16 of Season 16 of NCIS airs March 5, on CBS.