Its not uncommon for people to commit suicide on a cruise . Cruise Ship Killers | Season 1 | Episode 16 | Erica | John Barnard | J.H. Suicidal people are not thinking clearly. White said he worked with McGill for nearly 11 years and knew him to be calm and pleasant. That doesnt explain why the steward who was concerned for her was told to keep his mouth shut, or why her belongings were disposed of and her family was not notified. Their son, Michael Pham, testified before Congress to urge tougher regulation of safety practices on cruise lines. After they were unsuccessful, the United States Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy were alerted and joined the search. The lengths theyll go to are really shocking, even when its one of their own staff members who vanishes. My parents went on a cruise from Seattle to Alaska. Unfortunately, when Merrians marriage ended in divorce in 2000 and she lost custody of her daughter, she sank into a deep depression and threatened suicide. If the manilla envelope contained a suicide note, why didnt the cruise line release it, since it would have proven their theory? In 2004 a 40-year-old lady named Merrian was taking a cruise to Alaska on board the Celebrity Mercury. In 2005, Hue Pham, 71, and Hue Tran, 67, took a seven-night Mother's Day cruise in the Caribbean with their daughter and granddaughter. She ordered 2 sandwiches and to me its kinda strange. Seriously! When a crime is committed on a cruise ship, it rarely is investigated properly or promptly reported. In 2010, Rebecca Coriam started working for Disney Cruise Line and spent months visiting several ports in the Bahamas. Couldnt happen to nicer companies, Mark. It would be nice to think it was mere incompetence on the part of the cruise line, but it does seem like they were deliberately covering something up. In bankruptcy papers, McGill listed assets of $50,000 to $100,000 and debts of $100,000 to $500,000. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I ask all commenters to keep in mind that Merrians daughter and other family members are still alive and may see this post and the comments. Crystal then decided to head in for the night, but Caldwell chose to stay in the casino for a while. A social media maven takes a cruise she believes will put her public profile over the tipping point. Surveillance video showed Caldwell leaving the casino at 2:17 AM, and one crew member admitted that a bartender had seen Caldwell on the promenade deck around 3:30 AM. It was believed that he had fallen overboard, and the coast guard spent 36 hours looking for his body. [5], 10 People Who Mysteriously Vanished While Traveling. In two years of letter writing, White said his friend has never explained why he killed his sweetheart. Included with Crime+Investigation PLAY on Amazon for 3.99/month after trial. The couple was on a five-day cruise to Mexico, and it was the husband's 55th birthday. During questioning, the school teacher from Los Angeles told investigators he killed his wife "in the bathroom of their cabin with his bare hands," court documents revealed Friday. After hanging up the phone, she walked away, never to be seen again.[3]. I really dont have the words to make anyone feel better, said McGill. They had been high school sweethearts who reunited through the Internet and married in 2003. Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murders of wife and son A passenger aboard Brilliance of the Seas claimed that he heard men arguing in the Smiths room. They said that his death could have resulted from an accident, but his family was never convinced. They believe he was murdered. Later that night, he pummeled his wife inside the cabin, then strangled her. During at least one of his visits, she was wearing a nightshirt and underwear. In court, former colleagues of Robert McGill spoke of his talent and dedication as a teacher, and said they were baffled by what he had done. At his court appearance earlier in the day, she declined to comment on the case. "The ships medical team responded immediately, but, unfortunately, she passed away.". What a frustrating story. Thanks so much, Cat. An average of ten Americans disappear from cruise ships every year. Authorities believe that he jumped into the water on purpose. Wheres your wife, Shirley? When Ramiz woke up, Fariba still had not returned. Also, its the way these incidents tend to be handled that is of even greater concern. He later told the FBI he did not remember having a verbal argument, and stated that it was all him.. The family says Barnett's boyfriend told them he had no idea what happened. Its not good publicity and results in very costly lawsuits. She supposedly was having a relationship with an unidentified cruise member. On July 14th, 2009, Robert and Shirley were on a five-day Mexican cruise on. Required fields are marked *. He spent an hour searching for her on the ship.[7]. When she showed up he told her where to meet her or he had done something to keep her quiet. Watch Cruise Ship Killers Season 1 A true crime docuseries that chronicles the unfortunate events that take place as unsuspecting travelers board cruise ships and never return home from vacation; interviews from family, friends and experts detail each case. Almarosa Tenorio Passenger Death Aboard Royal Princess On Tuesday November 13, 2018, Almarosa Tenorio, 52, a teacher fromSpanish Fort, Alabama was aboard Princess Cruises shipRoyal Princess when she fell to her death. Authorities believe that she fell or was pushed overboard, but some strange facts emerged about her vanishing. On a whole other topic I really enjoyed Mask of Ghosts, J.H. So he killed her. Im not saying there wasnt a crime here, but it could just be money hungry corporate goons trying to eliminate hysteria to preserve the almighty bottom line. 44min. On the face of it, suicide does seem to be a likely option, but with the lack of evidence we will probably never know. i have been on numerous cruises, but will probably never step on board one again. Fascinating story. Im always skeptical of pulling the suicide card but it seems quite obvious here. Clues to her disappearance are detailed in a diary discovered in her cabin. 2 talking about this. He eventually fell asleep. And inside was Shirley McGills body in a pool of blood on the bathroom floor, with blood splattered around the cabin. Ashley Episode 1 - 44 mins ". A former crew member contacted Carver and told him that Merrian had been having a relationship with another, unidentified crew member. The 40-year-old woman vanished from a Royal Caribbean ship that nobody in her family even knew she had boarded. He drank heavily in Cabo that day before re-boarding the ship for the trip home. They cited his lifelong work as a dedicated teacher and that he was extremely intoxicated when he beat his wife, so much so that he has no clear memory of what provoked him or what happened. According to his own words in assorted testimonies and media reports, the grieving father met with roadblocks whenever he tried to get answers about what had happened to his daughter. And if she committed suicide, why did the cruise ship staff act so suspiciously and try their best to cover it up? Shirley McGill turned 55 just six days before she died. I wonder if she was in a relationship with the stewards supervisor and thats why he covered it up. The cruise lines are currently losing a massive amount of money daily, with their ships just sitting around. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. On May 12, a ship employee found two passports, two pairs of flip-flops, two drivers licenses, medication, and a wallet containing cash and credit cards. A professors assistant goes missing at sea near the end of a long voyage. Tenoriowas traveling with [], Katherine Kemp Notable Cruise Industry Death Murder Fred Olsen Cruise Lines EmployeeKatie Kemp Murdered On Monday, August 6, 2018, at approximately 0850 hours, Katherine (Katie) Kemp, 31, from Ipswich, Suffolk was murdered by [], Tamara Loraine Tucker, 50, fromLawson, Missouri, was allegedly murdered byher longtime love, Eric Duane Newman, 53, on Friday, January 19, 2018 during a celebration for her 50th birthday. Man arrested for allegedly killing girlfriend on Carnival cruise ship A retired teacher takes a solo Great Lakes cruise toward a family reunion. Her family has hired its own investigator, and hopes for a meeting with officials from Carnival. Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSign Up For Our NewslettersSite Map, Copyright 2023, The San Diego Union-Tribune |, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, San Diego Roman Catholic diocese facing yet another lawsuit now from its own insurance company, Reporters Notebook: Newsoms criticisms of judges dont earn same scolding as Trumps, Lawsuit accuses Roman Catholic Diocese of fraudulently transferring assets to foil sex abuse liability, Sheriffs Department wont ban maximum restraints but alters training following lawsuit, Number of windows in San Diego courthouse that broke within industry norms, state agency says, San Diego jury rejects claim that patient awakened during surgery, San Diego rent increases are slowing. In fact, one of her friends told me, if she was ever in a room with anybody when they thought they would party a little bit, Ashley would leave the room. Life is mystery, McGill reportedly said. "She said, 'I'm terribly, terribly sorry to tell you your daughter passed away today,' " Jamie Barnett told Lagattuta. Moncrieff. A Topeka, Kansas, man was arrested this week for allegedly killing his girlfriend on a cruise ship in January, prosecutors said. I killed Shirley by accident, well not by accident. Ill tell you all about it.. She didnt have enough close for a full trip. #inline-recirc-item--id-d44635f2-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { On the final day of the trip, she disappeared from Carnivals ship The Pride. But their luck takes a turn at the apex of their journey, with many wondering what happened aboard the ship. But Barnett's friends and family say Carnival has been stonewalling them. The official cause of death was listed as toxic effects of methadone, but Barnett's family insists she never did drugs. Several people have vanished aboard cruise liners, leaving their friends and families heartbroken and confused. People who are determined and serious about committing suicide are good at hiding sadness. Carverhired Massachusetts and Florida lawyers to dig in the case, which resulted in two cruise-line employees giving telephone depositions in January 2005. When Monteiro checked on Merrians cabin the following morning, her bed had not been slept in. Tamara Loraine Tucker Cruise Ship Passenger Murder Carnival Elation. Barnett's family hired lawyer Gloria Allred in their search for answers. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased and her family. Shirley McGill, 55, was killed on July 14, 2009, aboard the Carnival cruise ship Elation. "I know that she would never have knowingly or willingly ingested that," Jamie said. No one collected evidence. Cruise Ship Killers | True Crime Network She threw a few things into a bag, intending to buy new things in port. Maybe the supervisor steward thought he may get into trouble having to report a suicide. #inline-recirc-item--id-d44635f2-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-d44635f2-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { But her body was never found. Cruise lines are notorious for covering up crimes and cases of negligence to avoid getting sued (or having their ship docked for weeks due to a crime-scene investigation). This is a very intriguing story but I cant help but think she committed suicide because of what she brought on the cruise with her. I disagree. But the end of the late-in-life romance between Robert and Shirley McGill turned out to be something from a horror film. Everybody loved her. He did report that it was a short walk from Merrians room to an observation deck 100 feet above the waterline. I believe the key to this story is her lack of luggage, clothes etc Suicide is pretty likely. The 33-year-old was aboard an AIDA Cruises ship for a holiday from Hamburg to New York when he went missing. Afterward, he changed clothes and went up to a deck, smoked a cigar and had more beer with another couple. In 2015, the FBI closed their investigation into the disappearance of Smith. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. A detention hearing in the case is set for July 23, with a preliminary hearing on July 30. Why wouldnt the stewards supervisor have sounded an alarm when informed she was missingif he had nothing to hide? He was placed in the brig and about 20 FBI agents intercepted the ship on a U.S. Coast Guard cutter late Wednesday and interviewed McGill and more than 50 witnesses while the Elation was still at sea. McGill was going to join her when he retired. "She had no patience with drugs. But he never returned to their cabin.[6]. Why wouldnt the cruise-ship employees want to find out the truth? He was excited. That said, this case really disturbed me, due to the cover up by the cruise line (one I happen to sail on). Did she decide to skip out on her duties or did a terrible fate await her on-shore? "And I said, 'No, she didn't. He was told the ships surveillance cameras automatically erase any footage after only three days. Please enter valid email address to continue. But when the weather report comes in for the evening showing no wind, a murder investigation begins. Eric Newman allegedly killed Tamara Tucker on the Carnival Elation in January. Sorry, there was a problem saving your cookie preferences. Fariba Amani was enjoying a cruise with her boyfriend, Ramiz Golshani, when she mysteriously vanished from the Bahamas Celebration cruise. Her father reported her missing to the authorities on the cruise line, and the ship docked at Curacao, Antilles.[1]. Cruise Ship Killers | Season 1 | Episode 1 | Ashley | John Barnard | J.H. In July 2005, George Allen Smith IV and his wife, Jennifer, were celebrating their two-week-long honeymoon on a cruise from Greece to Turkey when he mysteriously disappeared. On Thursday, Robert McGill was sentenced to life in prison by U.S. District Judge Irma Gonzalez, who acknowledged that McGill had led a life dedicated to helping at-risk teens but had to be punished for the murder for which precise motives remain unknown. According to authorities, he was last seen at the ships bar drinking cocktails. That night, Barnett's mother got a phone call she never could have imagined from the ship's nurse. How did they come to the conclusion that if she jumped, it would have been done in her underwear? }, First published on July 20, 2009 / 11:30 AM. This is very cruel.' Merrian booked passage on the cruise only two days before it sailed, and brought two handbags, but no suitcases, on board. She told him she planned to go upstairs later, but did not want to visit the dining room. I agree, JD. The cruise line maintained theyd had no reports about his daughter during the cruise, and refused to reveal the name of Merrians steward. Calls to McGill's attorney were not immediately returned. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. To help others avoid the pain and suffering hed gone through, Carver founded International Cruise Victims, an advocacy and support group, in 2006. However, he only did this because he was ordered to do so by the coast guard. He just always said to me, he said, theres more to this story than has been reported.. Carver went on to win his lawsuit, but it was a hollow victory. A scratch and win ticket unveils an all-expense paid cruise for a young couple; but their luck runs out once aboard the ship as one of them ends up murdered. Shes dead, said McGill, then 55, according to court papers. Police and the FBI also failed to find any evidence or trace of her during their investigation on the ship. RIP, Kendall Carver. In August 2004, a 40-year-old red-haired poet and investment banker named Merrian Carver boarded the Mercury, one of Royal Caribbeans Celebrity cruise ships. Third parties use cookies for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalised ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. The supervisor probably knows what happened. When she failed to report for her shift, crew members started looking for Coriam. 10 Gruesome Cruise Ship Deaths - Listverse Tucker fell from her "balcony to several decks below early on the morning of Jan. 19," Carnival said in a statement the day after her death. Robert McGill was not in the room when the body was found, but was taken into custody by ship security later on, authorities said. But after she witnesses a man overboard, many begin to wonder if it was accidental or on purpose - and who is next? I admit that I killed Shirley Jean McGill, maiden name Longstreet, by beating her to death with my fists, in the bathroom, hed said to an FBI agent. If you agree, well also use cookies to complement your shopping experience across the Amazon stores as described in our Cookie Notice. I think they are suffering and need to hear from me.". Well seems to me she was having an affair with an unnamed cruise member. The judge agreed. ), but why would someone kill her? Moncrieff Breakthrough Entertainment 108K subscribers Subscribe 2.2K 222K views 1 year ago #BreakthroughEntertainment. The authorities werent notified that she was missing. The attorney who handled the case did not immediately return a call seeking comment. He loved her with all his heart, White, a Ventura resident, said in an interview. The couple was on a five-day cruise to Mexico, and it was the husbands 55th birthday. The American woman was only 23 years old when she disappeared from the vessel on March 24, 1998. But somebody outside that company knows something. Sorry for the late response. Jennifer claimed that she did not remember much from the previous night, and nobody ever admitted to knowing anything about Smiths disappearance. The death was reported to Carnival crew members around 8:20 p.m., but authorities have placed the time of Shirley McGill's death about two hours before, according to the court documents. The entire set-up was a bit weird (why did she not have a suitcase?). ever wonder why cruise ships are not registered in the united states? Cruise Ship Killers is a true crime series that tells the stories of people who never returned home after taking a holiday on a cruise ship, featuring interviews with family, friends, investigators and experts.Stars: John Barnard, J.H. To me, suicide is a silent because we dont always recognize the signs until theyve passed. She noted Shirley McGill likely did not die right away, and said the actions of Robert McGill after the beating showed he had some awareness of what he was doing and was not completely out of it from his excessive drinking. Wow, this is incredibly crazy on a number of levels not the least of which is the way that cruise ships operate with impunity and no sense for the safety of their passengers. Genres Documentary Subtitles None Available Audio Languages English 10 Ships That Simply Vanished Without A Trace. Tucker's obituary had described Newman, 53, as her "partner and longtime love," The Kansas City Star reported. Again. When he goes missing, all signs point to foul play. Then during the interview, he telephoned one of his two grown sons. The cruise line and the Netherlands Antilles Coast Guard spent days looking for Amy, but the search ceased on March 29. Its a shame and I am shocked by how many disappearances occur on cruise ships. 1996-2022, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The couple were aboard Carnival Cruise Lines [], Kristy Manzanares, 39, a real estate agent from St. George, Utah was sailing aboard Princess Cruises cruise ship Emerald Princess in Alaska on Tuesday, July 25, 2017. True-crime tales of people who never returned home after taking a holiday aboard a cruise ship. They either gambled and won quite a bit of money, or they said they were going to the bathroom, and WERE NEVER SEEN AGAIN. First published on April 5, 2006 / 8:22 AM. The investigator was allowed onto the ship, but wasnt permitted to speak to anyone, including the ships security officer. She disappeared without a trace. He killed her and tossed her overboard. None of Merrians family members or friends had any idea shed gone on a cruise, but this wasnt out of character. He made his initial court appearance on Thursday, prosecutors said, and his detention hearing is set for Sept. 12. After heading to Cabo with two couples and returning to the ship on the last leg of the cruise, McGill was so drunk he could barely walk, a witness said. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says How did she disappear? Was it revenge, jealousy or a murderous impulse at sea? McGill was divorced when he reconnected with Shirley through the Internet, colleagues said. Witnesses aboard the ship claim they saw someone jump overboard around 6:00 AM the day he went missing. She had danced all night with members of Rhapsodys band, Blue Orchid. Some 30 years later, they reconnected at a high school reunion, got married and by all accounts were happy together. To learn more about how and for what purposes Amazon uses personal information (such as Amazon Store order history), please visit our Privacy Notice. "He's a great friend, he's great with kids, he's a great dad, he's a great husband," White said. And if she planned on committing suicide, why the round-trip ticket? } Jim Cross, spokesman for the Department of Justice in Kansas, identified Tucker as Newman's girlfriend but declined to comment further on the case. "They're suffering now," McGill was heard saying as he gestured to his family. But just six years later, Robert allegedly murdered Shirley on the bathroom floor of their cruise ship cabin. Definitely something fishy here, and I dont mean Alaskan salmon. Through investigating her financial records, the police discovered credit-card charges for the round trip to Seattle and the Alaskan cruise. The passports belonged to Hue Pham and Hue Tran.[10]. Moncrieff Breakthrough Entertainment 108K subscribers Subscribe 111K views 1 year ago #BreakthroughEntertainment. Theyre floating petri dishes at the best of times. Her family believes foul play was involved, but her case remains unsolved.[8]. My overall impression is that more than one person is covering up, for reasons of their own. He took her body to a place he could hide it to dispose of it later. A 40-year-old disappears on the second night of a cruise, her family is left searching for answers and it ends up changing the way missing persons are reported at sea. When Carver contacted Royal Caribbean to confirm his daughter had been on the ship, it took them three days to get back to him. U.S. District Magistrate William McCurine Jr. entered a plea of not guilty on McGill's behalf, as is common practice in federal court at initial appearances. She left the band around 1:00 AM, and her father noticed her sleeping on their cabin balcony around 5:30 AM. 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On March 22, 2011, while working on the Disney Wonder, Coriam disappeared. Manzanares who was a mother of three [], Simone Scheuer Souza, 36, fromSo Paulo, Brazil was a housekeeping crew member aboard MSC Cruises cruise shipMSC Musica when she went overboard onMonday, June 19, 2017 while the cruise ship was sailing betweenVenice to Brindisi, [], Adriana Morales de Florencio, 24,Crew Member Murder,Navigator of the Seas, Murder Adriana Morales de Florencio, 24, was a Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Navigator o9f the Seas crew member who went missing after she disembarked the [], Li Yinglei,Allegedly Murdered by Husband,Thrown Overboard MSC Magnifica Off Italy Coast February 10, 2017, Time of Death Unknown. During the trial, the cruise line released an official statement to the media, claimingthat Merrian had severe emotional problems, had attempted suicide before, and appears to have committed suicide on our ship. (Suicide is often the excuse when passengers go missing.). Its horrible that cruise lines have so much power to do whatever they please and cover up anything that is questionable. The latest involves the sudden death of an aspiring actress during a Carnival cruise in October. Eric Newman was on the Carnival Elation ship on a four-day cruise to the Bahamas when he allegedly killed 50-year-old Tamara Tucker on Jan. 19, the Justice Department said in a news release Thursday. Paul White, a friend of McGill who taught with him at three Los Angeles County schools for troubled teens, described the crime as unbelievable. Oh, that was kind of a joke, but from the show, thats when people tended to disappear. There are simply too many cooks stirring this particular pot of murky broth. Moncrieff, Damian Turner #CruiseShipKillers #CrimeTV #BreakthroughEntertainment Both had no history of violence or marital discord, according to court papers. That was the last known sighting of Merrian alive. Shirley McGill was beaten and strangled to death on the bathroom floor of a cruise ship cabin at the hands of her husband. Voters will soon get a say, California Republicans give a boost to Florida Gov. So she didnt bring a lot of clothes with her. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Cruise Ship Killers | Season 1 | Episode 16 | Erica - YouTube They say her body was left with the coroner in Mexico while the cruise, and her boyfriend, continued on. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Forge said the brutal death of Shirley McGill overshadowed her husbands career. About The Author: Im just another bearded guy trying to write my way through life. This was when Carver learned that someonehadcared about his daughter, and he was even more distressed when he discovered that a cruise-line supervisor had brushed off her stewards fears. SAN DIEGO (CBS/ AP) They were former high school sweethearts who found each other decades later and renewed their love. Her dad returned to the balcony at 6:00 AM to check on Amy, but she was no longer there. Authorities believe that Halford went missing sometime between 11:45 PM on April 6 and 7:30 AM on April 7. This was a strange cruise case. The cabin steward only looked in her closet once shed been missing and when he was trying to figure out what had happened to her. Newman is charged with second-degree murder. Caldwell was never seen again. He reported her missing right away and continued to report her missing for the remaining five days of the cruise, until his supervisor ordered him to do his job and forget it.. A Carnival 'Elation' cruise ship in Nassau, Bahamas appears in this undated stock photo.