Eunice Murray Blackmer

Eunice Murray Blackmer (née Joerndt) (March 3, 1902 – March 5, 1994) was an American housekeeper, nurse and writer best known as the live-in housekeeper and companion of actress Marilyn Monroe at the time of Monroe's death in August 1962. She is the key witness in the events surrounding Monroe's death in August 1962. Her shifting accounts of the night of the actress's death have contributed to the ongoing speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding the event.^[1] Her conflicting accounts of the night the actress died have made her a controversial figure in the ongoing speculation about the event, which was officially ruled a probable suicide.^[2]

Eunice Murray was born Eunice Marjorie Joerndt in Chicago, Illinois, on March 3, 1902 to William Karl Henry Joerndt and Mary Miller. She had several siblings, including a sister named Carolyn. Little is known about her life before she began working for Marilyn Monroe. She had three daughters from her marriage to John Murray. She was married to John Murray from 1924 to 1950, a marriage that ended in divorce and produced three children. She later married her brother-in-law Rev. Franklin Henry Blackmer, after her sister's Carolyn Blackmer (née Joerndt) death.^[3] Before working for Monroe, little is publicly documented about her career, she was a trained psychiatric nurse and worked with Dr. Raplh for fifteen years but she was hired on the recommendation of Monroe's psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenson, to act as a companion and a stabilizing presence in the actress's home.^[4]

Murray was hired by Monroe's psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenson, to serve as a live-in housekeeper and companion for the actress at her home in Brentwood, Los Angeles.^[5]

On August 4, 1962, Murray was staying overnight at Monroe's home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, at the request of Dr. Greenson.^[6] Murray became concerned around 3:00 a.m. on August 5 when she noticed a light on under Monroe's locked bedroom door and received no response to her knocks.^[6] She then telephoned Dr. Greenson, who arrived at the house shortly after.^[6] Greenson broke a window to enter the room and found Monroe dead in her bed, clutching a telephone receiver.^[6] Dr. Greenson and Monroe's personal physician, Dr. Hyman Engelberg, who arrived later, did not notify the police until 35 minutes after Engelberg had pronounced the actress dead, a delay that has fueled suspicion.^[6]

Murray's story evolved over time, particularly in interviews conducted years later.^[7] One of the most controversial details was the rumor that she was washing Monroe's bedsheets when the police arrived, which some have interpreted as an attempt to destroy evidence, although this detail is not confirmed in the original police reports.^[8] In a later interview in a 1985 BBC documentary, Murray is rumored to have candidly confessed that Bobby Kennedy was at the house and involved in the death, a claim she later recanted as "confused".^[9] The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office reviewed the case in 1982 but found no evidence to support foul play, though their report noted "factual discrepancies" in the original investigation.^[10]

Murray co-authored a book with Rose Shade, titled Marilyn: The Last Months, which was published in 1975 and detailed her time living with the star. She appeared in several documentaries about Monroe's life and death. She was never formally interviewed by police as a suspect.^[11]

She was first married to John Maer Murray around 1923. They had three daughters together including Patricia, Jacqueline and Marilyn.^[3] The marriage to John Murray ended in divorce in 1950.^[12] Following the death of her sister, Carolyn Blackmer, in 1972, Eunice Murray married her brother-in-law, the Reverend Franklin Henry Blackmer.^[3]

Eunice Murray died in Tucson, Arizona, on March 5, 1994, at the age of 92.^[13]

• Eunice Murray Blackmer at IMDb