Photo Artis and Gossip

The investigation into the death of Natalie Wood — the huge star who died in 1981 in a drowning accident near Catalina Island in California — has been re-opened as a homicide investigation … and law enforcement sources tell us … they are now privy to new information about her death.

Wood was on a yacht with her husband, Robert Wagner and fellow actor Christopher Walken on Thanksgiving weekend 30 years ago when she went overboard.  There have been reams of stories about her death … some suggesting foul play, but none substantiated.

Also on the yacht … the boat’s skipper — a man named Dennis Davern who had worked for the Wagner family for years.

The official theory … Wood — who was starring in a movie with Walken at the time — either was trying to secure a dinghy from banging against the hull when she slipped and fell overboard. When her body was recovered, she was wearing a jacket over a nightgown … with socks.

But it gets fishy … a woman on a nearby yacht claimed she heard cries for help around midnight.

Officials ruled her death an accident — claiming she was drunk on “seven or eight” glasses of wine — but now we’re told new information has surfaced and the investigation has been re-opened.

Wood’s sister Lana has previously made attempts to have the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department reopen the case of her death.

Wood was 43 when she died, and is currently buried at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery.

The L.A. County Sheriff will hold a news conference Friday at 11 AM PT.  Of course, we will be livestreaming it.