Marilyn Monroe died on August 5, 1962, from an overdose of barbiturates, and a new biography released in 2026 alleges her longtime physician, Dr. Hyman Engelberg, lied about prescribing the sedative chloral hydrate. the author, biographer Sarah Wilson, says the evidence points to negligence and a cover‑up rather than a straightforward suicide.

Prescription order shows Dr. Engelberg signed for chloral hydrate

According to Wilson’s research, a prescription order bearing Dr. Engelberg’s signature lists chloral hydrate alongside Nembutal, contradicting his later claim that he only prescribed the latter. The document, discovered among Monroe’s medical records, suggests Engelberg knowingly provided a drug that, when combined with Nembutal, can cause fatal respiratory depression.

Engelberg’s hour‑long delay before calling police

The biography notes that after Dr. ralph Greenson broke a window and found Monroe dead, Engelberg arrived on the scene but waited nearly an hour before contacting law enforcement. Wilson argues this pause gave Engelberg time to alter or hide evidence, a point the book highlights as a critical deviation from standard emergency protocol.

830 medication units prescribed in Monroe’s final two months

Wilson cites pharmacy logs indicating Monroe received 830 units of various sedatievs and barbiturates in the two months leading up to her death. this staggering volume, she writes, mirrors a pattern of over‑prescription that modern medical‑malpractice experts would likely deem reckless.

Comparing Monroe’s case to Matthew Perry’s overdose lawsuit

Drawing a parallel to the 2023 legal actions surrounding actor Matthew Perry’s fatal overdose, Wilson suggests that if Engelberg were alive today, he could face charges of involuntary manslaughter. The comparison underscores how contemporary courts are increasingly holding physicians accuntable for prescribing dangerous drug combinations.

Did Engelberg knowingly conceal the chloral hydrate prescription?

The biography leaves three key questions unanswered: whether Engelberg deliberately falsified the prescription record, why he delayed notifying police,and if any other medical staff were complicit. The source does not provide testimony from Engelberg’s colleagues, leaving the allegations largely dependent on Wilson’s interpretation of the paperwork.