On February 17, 1992, the Federal Bureau of Investigation made publicly available a set of records related to the death of Marilyn Monroe, the Hollywood actress who died on August 5, 1962. The release comprised FBI memoranda, internal correspondence, and investigative notes collected in the course of the bureau’s inquiries, some of which had been partially redacted in earlier disclosures. What the records contain The files include communications between FBI offices, summaries of interviews or leads the bureau received, and references to information exchanged with other agencies and private individuals. Several documents show the bureau’s attention to purported connections between Monroe and prominent political figures of the era, and references to rumors and public speculation that circulated in the immediate aftermath of her death. What the files do not do The newly released materials do not provide a definitive new cause of death or overturn the original coroner’s ruling. The official determination at the time—death ruled a probable suicide due to acute barbiturate poisoning—remains the primary medical finding. The FBI files reflect the bureau’s role in collecting and assessing information relevant to federal concerns but do not substitute for medical or coroner reports. Context and significance Monroe’s death quickly became a subject of intense public interest and rumor, in part because of her high-profile relationships and political connections. Over the decades, researchers, journalists and biographers have sought government records under declassification laws and freedom of information requests. Releases such as the 1992 disclosure add documentary detail about what information federal investigators logged, what lines of inquiry were pursued, and which leads were regarded as credible or not. Limitations and disputes Historians and journalists caution that FBI files can contain investigative leads, secondhand reports and unverified claims; they do not always reflect conclusive evidence. Some passages in the released records are redacted or summarized, and other relevant records may remain classified, withheld, or housed in different repositories (such as state coroner files or private collections). As a result, while the files enrich the documentary record, they do not end longstanding disputes or replace primary forensic evidence. How researchers have used such releases Scholars and writers use FBI disclosures to trace how agencies responded to public controversy, how rumors propagated across federal and local offices, and how investigatory priorities were set during the Cold War era. When combined with coroner reports, hospital records, contemporaneous press coverage and personal papers, FBI files help historians build a more complete picture of events and institutional behavior. Where to find the records The released documents are typically accessible through FBI archival portals or the National Archives, and may also be reproduced or summarized in news reports, academic articles and book-length investigations. Researchers seeking a comprehensive view are advised to consult multiple sources and to note redactions or gaps in the files. Conclusion The 1992 release of FBI material concerning Marilyn Monroe’s death expanded the available documentary record of the investigation and the federal government’s awareness of related rumors and leads. While the files clarify aspects of what investigators learned and considered, they do not provide a new medical conclusion and leave unresolved many questions that have fueled debate for decades.