Iconic Marilyn Monroe

On August 5, 1962, Monroe was found dead in her home. She had a phone receiver in her hand and was lying face down without any clothes on. By her side was an empty pill bottle that had held 50 capsules of Nembutal, a drug often used as a sleeping pill.

While her death at the age of 36 was ruled a probable suicide, theories still abound about what may have actually led to her passing in her final days

in March 1962, Monroe reportedly met JFK at a Palm Springs party at Bing Crosby's home, before their famed public appearance at a Democratic fundraiser on May 19, 1962, where Monroe sang her sultry rendition of “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” in her breathy voice wearing a dress made by designer Jean Louis that gave the illusion she was naked.

JFK responded to the performance by saying, “I can now retire from politics after having had ‘Happy Birthday’ sung to me in such a sweet, wholesome way.” But little did the world realize that less than three months later, Monroe would no longer be around.

At the time of her death only months after meeting JFK, she was seeking help from psychiatrist Dr. Ralph Greenson. In fact, around 5:15 pm on Saturday before her death, she had talked to Greenson for about an hour on the phone and “was told to go for a ride when she complained she could not sleep, police reported,” according to her 1962 Los Angeles Times obituary. He thought she was headed to the beach for some fresh air.

Her housekeeper, Eunice Murray, had seen Monroe head to her bedroom at about 8 pm on the Sunday night she’s believed to have died. Around 3:25 am, she then noticed Monroe’s light was still on and went to check on her — but didn’t hear any responses. She called Greenson who came over and broke the window to find Monroe’s dead body.

While both conspiracy and logical theories have been thrown out into the public realm, the truth behind Monroe’s death will forever be a mystery.