I agree, JD. Heres what we know, Governors declaration allows Los Angeles County to get reimbursed, Who will replace ex-LA councilmember Nury Martinez? Their son, Michael Pham, testified before Congress to urge tougher regulation of safety practices on cruise lines. A social media maven takes a cruise she believes will put her public profile over the tipping point. But after she witnesses a man overboard, many begin to wonder if it was accidental or on purpose - and who is next? The cover up may not be as mysterious as it seems. Authorities believe that Halford went missing sometime between 11:45 PM on April 6 and 7:30 AM on April 7. But when she doesn't check in with her family members back home, they begin to suspect something bad has befallen her. A German college student working aboard on a cruise ship goes missing at an Alaskan port. The couple, who had been married for 49 years, mysteriously vanished while on the Carnival Cruise Line ship. Authorities believe that he jumped into the water on purpose. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. The manilla envelope and the money Merrian had left in her room disappeared with him, along with other personal belongings. They eventually called off the search, and Caldwell was presumed to be dead. Her dad returned to the balcony at 6:00 AM to check on Amy, but she was no longer there. Cruise Ship Killers | Season 1 | Episode 1 | Ashley | John Barnard | J.H. No, shes dead. A generous tip and a manilla envelope with unknown contents had been left behind, along with all of her belongings, including her only shoes. Everyone has dark moments in their lives, and its a shame they can be used against us if we go missing. Maybe the supervisor steward thought he may get into trouble having to report a suicide. Ashley Episode 1 - 44 mins No one collected evidence. Merrian was single, independent, and she had been known to take other trips when she needed to clear her head, without necessarily letting anyone know. Fascinating story. A millionaire widower and her teenaged daughter take a fivestar cruise together. Robert and Shirley McGill were marking their 55th birthdays just days into their luxurious Mexican cruise when she was found beaten to death in their cabin. Its just my theory. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, White supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes kicked out of CPAC, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Biden team readies new advisory panel ahead of expected reelection bid, At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, House Democrats unhappy with White House handling of D.C.'s new criminal code. During at least one of his visits, she was wearing a nightshirt and underwear. Authorities believe that she fell or was pushed overboard, but some strange facts emerged about her vanishing. Hey RandeeI believe that information came from the steward, who spent a fair amount of time speaking to her and preparing her room for bedtime, etc. Thousands of people embark on cruises each year to enjoy vacations, holidays, and honeymoons with family and friends. Shirley McGill retired last week from the state Department of Motor Vehicles, and her husband had planned to retire soon as well, acquaintances said. Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Fascination was near Miami on the final night of the trip when Caldwell disappeared. Tucker, of Lawson, Missouri, was a professor of social work at Park University in Missouri, The Kansas City Star said. When Ramiz woke up, Fariba still had not returned. The day after they boarded in Long Beach, Calif., Barnett was dead. "They're suffering now," McGill was heard saying as he gestured to his family. Merrian booked passage on the cruise only two days before it sailed, and brought two handbags, but no suitcases, on board. How much he had is not known, but witnesses said he could barely walk when he returned to the ship. Poor dad. In court documents, his lawyers said that he had at least 20 drinks, including beer, hard liquor and mescal. 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. May 3, 2021 | Unsolved Mysteries As some of you know, I was fortunate enough to be the writer-expert for a true crime documentary show called Cruise Ship Killers, which tells the stories of twenty-six people who vanished, died mysteriously, or were the victims of other crimes while on board a cruise. On the face of it, suicide does seem to be a likely option, but with the lack of evidence we will probably never know. Early that morning, Bradley went missing. Featuring interviews with family, friends, investigators and experts. What do you think happened to Merrian? Why? In 2005, Hue Pham, 71, and Hue Tran, 67, took a seven-night Mothers Day cruise in the Caribbean with their daughter and granddaughter. The San Diego County medical examiner's office said she died of strangulation and blunt force injury to the head and torso. Obviously, it was a last-minute decision to go on this cruise (with her lover, a crew member? She told him she planned to go upstairs later, but did not want to visit the dining room. 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. The stewards supervisor might have suspected and covered up the killing for that reason, or the cruise line could have instructed employees to cover up evidence of crimes to protect their reputation. She was last seen when the ship was around 48 kilometers (30 mi) off the coast of Ensenada, Mexico. Youre not the only one who has that theory, Alexgood call. 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Given the last minute cruise reservation, one outfit, the divorce and losing custody of her daughter, I believe Merriam committed suicide. Click Customise Cookies to decline these cookies, make more detailed choices, or learn more. White said he worked with McGill for nearly 11 years and knew him to be calm and pleasant. They might have erased the surveillance tapes when they saw the crime. "It's unconscionable that they won't give up their records and give Ashley's parents the answers they are seeking. 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.). There should have still been footage from the time his daughter disappeared when he first contacted them. Not to mention the tax breaks they get! Robert McGill was arrested when the ship docked in San Diego. Unsolved Mysteries: Whatever happened to Merrian Carver? He just always said to me, he said, theres more to this story than has been reported.. He later told the FBI he did not remember having a verbal argument, and stated that it was all him.. If she walked to the observation deck to commit suicide, she did it in her underwear. My theory: sailing was a last-minute decision to meet up with the crew member with whom she was having a relationship. After hanging up the phone, she walked away, never to be seen again.[3]. He drank. That night, Barnett's mother got a phone call she never could have imagined from the ship's nurse. Everyone would assume she went overboard. The 63-year-old man disappeared while on a holiday cruise in Egypt. How did they come to the conclusion that if she jumped, it would have been done in her underwear? Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Forge said the brutal death of Shirley McGill overshadowed her husbands career. It is believed that he went overboard due to an accident on the ship. This was a strange cruise case. The lengths theyll go to are really shocking, even when its one of their own staff members who vanishes. Mar 6th 600p DARLA Recently retired newly weds embark on their third tropical cruise in less than year. If you agree, well also use cookies to complement your shopping experience across the Amazon stores as described in our Cookie Notice. Clues to her disappearance are detailed in a diary discovered in her cabin. This is very cruel.' / CBS News. The supervisor put her belongings in his own locker, except for her clothing, which was promptly donated to charity. Definitely something fishy here, and I dont mean Alaskan salmon. She ordered 2 sandwiches and to me its kinda strange. The 47-year-old mother of two from Canada disappeared on February 29, 2012, somewhere between the Bahamas and Florida. Im always skeptical of pulling the suicide card but it seems quite obvious here. Many corporations in the vacation industry hide things from their patrons that arent even their fault in a misguided attempt to keep precious normalcy. So, we have a number of people each with their own agenda, and this poor woman is caught in the middle of it. She didnt have enough close for a full trip. But somebody outside that company knows something. No, she didn't. 44min. Cruise Ship Murders A person that is killed by someone, the involvement of a perpetrator is required and where suicide is excluded. Try again. She supposedly was having a relationship with an unidentified cruise member. To learn more about how and for what purposes Amazon uses personal information (such as Amazon Store order history), please visit our Privacy Notice. A savvy poker player cleans up at the tables once at sea. But now I am that much less likely to ever subject myself to that pleasure. Though, I now think its a great setting for a thriller novel. "Cruise Ship Killers" Gordon (TV Episode) - IMDb To celebrate, she booked the cruise with her boyfriend. Merrian didnt use the cruise ships currency card during the two days she was on board. Sadly, he passed away in December 2019 without ever finding out what became of Merrian. He took her body to a place he could hide it to dispose of it later. The cruise line and the Netherlands Antilles Coast Guard spent days looking for Amy, but the search ceased on March 29. 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. But the end of the late-in-life romance between Robert and Shirley McGill turned out to be something from a horror film. My parents went on a cruise from Seattle to Alaska. 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. Perhaps you can help us figure out what happened to Julie Weflen. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. I wake up every morning praying that no other mother ever has to live this nightmare. Some 30 years later, they reconnected at a high school reunion, got married and by all accounts were happy together. The cruise line maintained theyd had no reports about his daughter during the cruise, and refused to reveal the name of Merrians steward. Why wouldnt the stewards supervisor have sounded an alarm when informed she was missingif he had nothing to hide? 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. Finally, feeling out of options, Carver filed a lawsuit against the Royal Caribbean. Carver was never seen again. I think they are suffering and need to hear from me.". Carvers living hell was about to begin. ", Jamie, crying, told reporters: "I wake up every morning wishing I could hold her just one more time. 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. Two years later, he married Shirley McGill in Las Vegas. Wheres your wife, Shirley? Spending my holiday on a floating hotel never appealed, but even less so now. Fariba Amani was enjoying a cruise with her boyfriend, Ramiz Golshani, when she mysteriously vanished from the Bahamas Celebration cruise. 10 Gruesome Cruise Ship Deaths - Listverse This video is currently unavailable. And if she committed suicide, why did the cruise ship staff act so suspiciously and try their best to cover it up? On the second day of the cruise, a cabin attendant noticed that the bed had not been used and reported it to the boss. But not everyone returns home from these trips. McGill is charged with killing his wife on July 14, the day of his birthday, as the ship steamed home after a stop in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The supervisor said, Just forget it, and do your job. The attendant did as she was told, although nobody ever used the room. i have been on numerous cruises, but will probably never step on board one again. ", When she died, Barnett was working for composer John Debny, who remarked to Lagattuta: "No one is forthcoming. So he killed her. That said, this case really disturbed me, due to the cover up by the cruise line (one I happen to sail on). But their luck takes a turn at the apex of their journey, with many wondering what happened aboard the ship. Please enter valid email address to continue. Im sure Someone else theorized this, Your email address will not be published. He told her he would be back shortly. Afterward, he changed clothes and went up to a deck, smoked a cigar and had more beer with another couple. I wonder if she was in a relationship with the stewards supervisor and thats why he covered it up. Thanks so much, Cat. From the Elation brig, he admitted to the captain hed killed his wife, but said he didnt know why Shirley had not provoked the attack. Thats terrible that the cruise line basically covered it up. Tamara Loraine Tucker, 50, from Lawson, Missouri, was allegedly murdered by her "longtime love", Eric Duane Newman, 53, on Friday, January 19, 2018 during a celebration for her 50th birthday. A honeymoon cruise goes awry when the bride is allegedly blown off a balcony in the middle of the night. "I know that she would never have knowingly or willingly ingested that," Jamie said. He did report that it was a short walk from Merrians room to an observation deck 100 feet above the waterline. ever wonder why cruise ships are not registered in the united states? One thing many tourists dont realize is that American cruise ships sail under foreign flags, which allows them to circumvent US lawsand taxes. Watch Cruise Ship Killers Streaming Online | Peacock Thesupervisor whod dismissed the stewards concerns was fired and ushered off the ship before the FBI could speak to him. Its horrible that cruise lines have so much power to do whatever they please and cover up anything that is questionable. Paul White, a friend of McGill who taught with him at three Los Angeles County schools for troubled teens, described the crime as unbelievable. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? SAN DIEGO (CBS/ AP) They were former high school sweethearts who found each other decades later and renewed their love. "And I said, 'No, she didn't. Nearly six months later, what happened aboard the ship remains a mystery. A passenger stated that a nearby camera for that deck was covered, so there was no footage of her. Cruise Ship Killers | Season 1 | Episode 16 | Erica - YouTube Cruise Ship Killers - Facebook Her family believes foul play was involved, but her case remains unsolved.[8]. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, White supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes kicked out of CPAC, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Biden team readies new advisory panel ahead of expected reelection bid, At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, House Democrats unhappy with White House handling of D.C.'s new criminal code. ", Carnival issued a statement saying, "The situation was handled appropriately and reported to all applicable law enforcement authorities.". She was wearing mens clothing and seemed visibly distressed. In two years of letter writing, White said his friend has never explained why he killed his sweetheart. Was it revenge, jealousy or a murderous impulse at sea? On July 14th, 2009, Robert and Shirley were on a five-day Mexican cruise on. Tamara Loraine Tucker Cruise Ship Passenger Murder Carnival Elation. They all had a few drinks and decided to hit up some of the nightclubs after dinner. We use cookies and similar tools that are necessary to enable you to make purchases, to enhance your shopping experiences and to provide our services, as detailed in our Cookie Notice. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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Carver went on to win his lawsuit, but it was a hollow victory. A Topeka, Kansas, man was arrested this week for allegedly killing his girlfriend on a cruise ship in January, prosecutors said. "He's a great friend, he's great with kids, he's a great dad, he's a great husband," White said. Barnett's family hired lawyer Gloria Allred in their search for answers. No one secured her cabin. After they were unsuccessful, the United States Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy were alerted and joined the search. She disappeared without a trace. I also thought it odd that she brought so few things or that the cabin steward knew what she brought, its kind of creepy that he looked in her closet long enough to take inventory. 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.