Who is Thomas Noguchi? Marilyn Monroe’s coroner reportedly breaks silence on actress’s cause of death

Actress Marilyn Monroe died on August 4, 1962. However, more than 60 years following her death, coroner Thomas Noguchi shared his thoughts and insights into her death. On August 2, the Daily Mail published an exclusive report, mentioning Noguchi’s discussion from Anne Soon Choi’s 2025 book, L.A. Coroner.

According to The New York Times, Thomas Noguchi was a Japanese immigrant. He was a chief medical examiner for over ten years. During his tenure, he was in charge of examining the cause of death of personalities like Sharon Tate, Natalie Wood, Robert F. Kennedy, and others.

Based on his life, a documentary, Coroner to the Stars, has been released. He also inspired the 1979 drama, Quincy, M.E. He told The New York Times:

“The public might not be ready, but I felt I had the responsibility to inform the public. They might not accept it. But they actually heard it from the right source.”

What did Thomas Noguchi say about Marilyn Monroe’s death in Anne Soon Choi’s book?

At the time of Marilyn Monroe’s death, Thomas Noguchi was one of the youngest coroners to have joined the LA County. Based on his words, Choi wrote that Noguchi believed Monroe’s cause of death was suicide.

Choi also mentioned in the book that when Noguchi was tasked to examine Monroe’s body, he went ahead with the usual protocol. Then, he conducted an autopsy but did not find any evidence of the medications that were found on her bedside table at the time of her death.

However, as per the toxicology report, there was an extreme amount of chloral hydrate and pentobarbital. In the book, Choi wrote:

“He knew that not running the additional tests would become a problem for him. It left too many questions unanswered, and ultimately, as the pathologist who conducted the physical autopsy, he would be held responsible.”

Joseph Scott Morgan reviews Thomas Noguchi’s statement on Marilyn Monroe’s autopsy

According to The Los Angeles Times, Thomas Noguchi also investigated Marilyn Monroe’s background. Following his analysis and probings, his superior, Theodore Curphey, declared that the Niagara actress’s death could be a case of suicide. In a recent interview on NewsNation, professor and forensic analyst Joseph Scott Morgan said:

“The autopsy that Dr. Noguchi performed on Marilyn Monroe, he was looking for what are referred to as NPWs, these are known as Needle Puncture Wounds.”

Morgan also mentioned:

“When he does the evisceration of her body, that's the removal of the organs, he found nothing in her stomach. And that just does not there's no corollary between that relative to the ingestion of pills and what you're going to get back on the toxicology report because her levels were blown through the roof.”

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In an old interview with Elliot Mintz, Thomas Noguchi was asked about the rumors that Marilyn Monroe’s death was not a suicide. Noguchi explained that he personally liked her but had no choice in examining her since he was a deputy coroner at the time.

He said people often kept questioning how she died and what she was thinking just before her death. He believed it was unfair to refuse to reconsider after making a decision. Hence, they didn’t officially close the case as a suicide but instead called it a “probable suicide.”

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