Stand up for the facts!
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.
I would like to contribute
Recycled hoax falsely claim CIA agent admitted killing actress Marilyn Monroe
An online hoax claiming a CIA agent admitted committing a series of assassinations including Hollywood star Marilyn Monroe has resurfaced.
"Dying 78 year old CIA agent admits to killing Marilyn Monroe" read the headline on Science Vibe, a website that claims to share stories from scientific breakthroughs to the seemingly impossible.
Facebook users flagged the post as being potentially fabricated, as part of the social network’s efforts to combat misinformation.
There are many things wrong with the post.
First, the supposed ex-CIA officer Normand Hodges is made up. The photo of "Hodges" is actually a man named Michael Tyrrell taken from a 2013 Guardian article about prisoners in hospitals.
Sign up for PolitiFact texts
The Science Vibe article presents the reasoning behind why Marilyn Monroe became a security threat is because she had supposedly slept with Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro making her susceptible to exposing strategic information to communists.
While there are conspiracy theories surrounding the relationships of Monroe and the truth behind her death ruled by police as a probable suicide, there is no evidence that she was murdered in part of a cover-up.
Featured Fact-check
When we tried to search for the quotes attributed to Hodges, we found no results or credible sources for them.
We also found this story circulated by several other hoax sites.
We rate this Pants on Fire.
Our Sources
Science Vibe, "Dying 78 year old CIA agent admits to killing Marilyn Monroe", April 11, 2018
The Guardian, Dying prisoners routinely chained to hospital beds, Nov. 8, 2013
SBS News, 4 conspiracy theories about the death of Marilyn Monroe, July 28, 2017
History.com 1962: Marilyn Monroe is found dead
Browse the Truth-O-Meter
More by Mica Soellner
Recycled hoax falsely claim CIA agent admitted killing actress Marilyn Monroe
Support independent fact-checking.
Become a member!
In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts.