McGill told a Carnival investigator he had argued with his wife and punched her once in the stomach. Robert McGill was not in the room when the body was found, but was taken into custody by ship security later on, authorities said. Smith vanished after a long night of drinking and gambling at the ships casino. There are simply too many cooks stirring this particular pot of murky broth. When she showed up he told her where to meet her or he had done something to keep her quiet. On a whole other topic I really enjoyed Mask of Ghosts, J.H. Seriously! The couple had been high school sweethearts and then broke up. Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murders of wife and son Authorities believe that the couple committed suicide by jumping into the sea together. The San Diego County medical examiner's office said she died of strangulation and blunt force injury to the head and torso. i read a lot of true crime, watch documentaries, id tv, forensic files.the criminal mind fascinates me. Why? Shirley McGill turned 55 just six days before she died. They had sailed on the Elation to celebrate their pending retirement. But at one of the many stops along the way, a grizzly discovery is made when crew membersfind the widower's body crammed into her own suitcase. She was last seen on CCTV footage in the crews lounge talking on an internal phone. A retired teacher takes a solo Great Lakes cruise toward a family reunion. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. A full search and rescue mission began after family members realized the couple was missing, but the mission failed to find anyone. Im sure Someone else theorized this, Your email address will not be published. Meanwhile, Merrians13-year-old daughter, who lived with her dad, grew concerned when she couldnt reach her mother on the telephone. ), but why would someone kill her? Paul White, a friend of McGill who taught with him at three Los Angeles County schools for troubled teens, described the crime as unbelievable. On the second day of the cruise, a cabin attendant noticed that the bed had not been used and reported it to the boss. He spent an hour searching for her on the ship.[7]. "I don't think it is for the best. They either gambled and won quite a bit of money, or they said they were going to the bathroom, and WERE NEVER SEEN AGAIN. What do you think happened to Merrian? And inside was Shirley McGills body in a pool of blood on the bathroom floor, with blood splattered around the cabin. 16+. Early that morning, Bradley went missing. Cruise Ship Killers | Season 1 | Episode 16 | Erica - YouTube They all had a few drinks and decided to hit up some of the nightclubs after dinner. This is a joke. Well seems to me she was having an affair with an unnamed cruise member. Wouldnt they want to find out the truth if someone disappears? Crime A farmer and his wife take a cruise celebrating their hard work and good fortune in life. Its just my theory. However, he only did this because he was ordered to do so by the coast guard. If this happened as a cruise meme wr he probably knew every nook and cranny of the ship. The captain of the ship waited about three hours before finally turning around and dropping rescue boats to search for Mizener. Ramiz last saw her at the ships gift shop, and then he headed to the casino by himself. Given the last minute cruise reservation, one outfit, the divorce and losing custody of her daughter, I believe Merriam committed suicide. ", Jamie, crying, told reporters: "I wake up every morning wishing I could hold her just one more time. There is absolutely no strong indication or proof that she committed suicide, especially since there was no record of her leaving her room. Thanks, Sherry. SIGN UP FOR SNEAK PEEKS OF MY NEXT BOOK + NEWSLETTER-ONLY UPDATES. Tucker's obituary had described Newman, 53, as her "partner and longtime love," The Kansas City Star reported. 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. "She said, 'I'm terribly, terribly sorry to tell you your daughter passed away today,' " Jamie Barnett told Lagattuta. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { What a fascinating, yet scary, and helpless story! Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? 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. 44min. Genres Documentary Subtitles None Available Audio Languages English Both had no history of violence or marital discord, according to court papers. And she had so many things yet to accomplish.". In bankruptcy papers, McGill listed assets of $50,000 to $100,000 and debts of $100,000 to $500,000. How much he had is not known, but witnesses said he could barely walk when he returned to the ship. A blood-stained canopy is the only telltale sign of a young mans fate, leaving many more questions than answers to what happened. I think it had some cover up because no cruise wants to be the latest in a lost guest. Perhaps you can help us figure out what happened to Julie Weflen. Ill tell you all about it.. [5], 10 People Who Mysteriously Vanished While Traveling. The 63-year-old man disappeared while on a holiday cruise in Egypt. Aztecs to honor 8 on Senior Night against Wyoming, but are all of them leaving? She wouldn't stay in the room. He noticed she only had two handbags (purses), one dress, and one pair of sandals. ", When she died, Barnett was working for composer John Debny, who remarked to Lagattuta: "No one is forthcoming. Im wondering, though: How does anyone know how many clothes Merrian brought on board? The cruise line maintained theyd had no reports about his daughter during the cruise, and refused to reveal the name of Merrians steward. The couple, who had been married for 49 years, mysteriously vanished while on the Carnival Cruise Line ship. I would bet he was married and wanted to keep it hush. That was the last known sighting of Merrian alive. Yes, its safe to assume those were not her remains, as its never been confirmed. Did someone aboard see her before she disappeared? It took 26 days after Merrian's disappearance for her to be reported as a missing person and for the search for her to start. The 40-year-old woman vanished from a Royal Caribbean ship that nobody in her family even knew she had boarded. The couple was on a five-day cruise to Mexico, and it was the husbands 55th birthday. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, Colombia wants to deport "cocaine hippos" to stop them from multiplying, Skeletal remains found in Pennsylvania identified as man missing since 2013, Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murders of wife and son. Hi J.H., did you see the post by a Law firm that bones were found on a Canadian island and they think they are Merrians? He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. On May 12, a ship employee found two passports, two pairs of flip-flops . We also use these cookies to understand how customers use our services (for example, by measuring site visits) so we can make improvements. #inline-recirc-item--id-d44635f2-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Merrian didnt use the cruise ships currency card during the two days she was on board. However, her steward insisted that shedid not seem upset, out of sorts, sad or angry. Ashley. Robert McGill was arrested when the ship docked in San Diego. Jennifer claimed that she did not remember much from the previous night, and nobody ever admitted to knowing anything about Smiths disappearance. It was not unusual for Merrian to go off on spur-of-the-moment trips without telling anyone, and since her daughter was staying with her ex-husband for the summer, it might have seemed like a good opportunity. Sorry, there was a problem saving your cookie preferences. i too believe she was murdered. He eventually fell asleep. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. A passenger stated that a nearby camera for that deck was covered, so there was no footage of her. RIP, Kendall Carver. 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. 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. 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. If the manilla envelope contained a suicide note, why didnt the cruise line release it, since it would have proven their theory? Authorities believe that he jumped into the water on purpose. He told her he would be back shortly. The supervisor probably knows what happened. She had danced all night with members of Rhapsodys band, Blue Orchid. To celebrate, she booked the cruise with her boyfriend. On July 14th, 2009, Robert and Shirley were on a five-day Mexican cruise on. As some of you know, I was fortunate enough to be the writer-expert for a true crime documentary show calledCruise 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. Authorities believe that Halford went missing sometime between 11:45 PM on April 6 and 7:30 AM on April 7. Maybe his concern wasnt that genuine and he knew something. Afterward, he changed clothes and went up to a deck, smoked a cigar and had more beer with another couple. Shirley McGill was beaten and strangled to death on the bathroom floor of a cruise ship cabin at the hands of her husband. She spent time by herself and didnt want to go to the dinner. 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. So she didnt raise her voice or yell/scream. Trending News She is survived by a son, her obituary said, according to the newspaper. They eventually called off the search, and Caldwell was presumed to be dead. Crystal then decided to head in for the night, but Caldwell chose to stay in the casino for a while. McGill's family, including two adult sons, declined to comment after the hearing, as did Assistant U.S. Attorney Joanna Curtis. Friends and neighbors said they were shocked to learn of the charge. Everybody loved her. On the face of it, suicide does seem to be a likely option, but with the lack of evidence we will probably never know. Dont think Ill be going on any cruises. The family says Barnett's boyfriend told them he had no idea what happened. #inline-recirc-item--id-d44635f2-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-d44635f2-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { 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. People who are determined and serious about committing suicide are good at hiding sadness. It worked. 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. Her family hasnt received any answers as to why or how she went missing while aboard the cruise ship. Authorities believe that she fell or was pushed overboard, but some strange facts emerged about her vanishing. Daniel Kueblboeck, a German pop star, was famous for a short time on the talent show Germany Seeks the Superstar. Barnett's family hired lawyer Gloria Allred in their search for answers. First published on April 5, 2006 / 8:22 AM. No body was ever found. He just always said to me, he said, theres more to this story than has been reported.. Life is mystery, McGill reportedly said. Eric Newman appears in this 2013 mugshot provided by the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. After finding out more about these cruise ships, I dont think Ill follow their example. Are you a fan of unsolved mysteries? She supposedly was having a relationship with an unidentified cruise member. Through investigating her financial records, the police discovered credit-card charges for the round trip to Seattle and the Alaskan cruise. She threw a few things into a bag, intending to buy new things in port. At his court appearance earlier in the day, she declined to comment on the case. Whatever decency Mr. McGill had, he left on the floor of that bathroom next to Shirleys beaten, bleeding and broken body, Forge said. The investigator was allowed onto the ship, but wasnt permitted to speak to anyone, including the ships security officer. Caldwell was never seen again. 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. 1. She didnt tell anyone she was going (even if that was uncommon, she had recently gone through a divorce and custody battle), she took next to nothing with her as if she doesnt need much. Its not uncommon for people to commit suicide on a cruise . I havent read any comments so maybe others already brought up this theory. Suicidal people are not thinking clearly. Newman is charged with second-degree murder. 10 Horrifying True Crimes Committed On Cruise Ships - RadarOnline Shirley McGills children from a previous marriage and her elderly parents gasped in relief when the judge announced the sentence. Obviously, it was a last-minute decision to go on this cruise (with her lover, a crew member? A millionaire widower and her teenaged daughter take a fivestar cruise together. On April 6, 2011, John Halford went missing while aboard Thomson Cruises Thomson Spirit. No one filed a police report; no one contacted the family. A surprise cruise holiday for a husband and wife from Olympia, Washington ends up with one of them going overboard. The passports belonged to Hue Pham and Hue Tran.[10]. No one collected evidence. Dana Bartholomew has been a general assignment reporter since 2000 for the Los Angeles Daily News. 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. It sounds like something out of a movie: Teenage lovers break up and drift apart, only to reunite three decades later, fall in love again, and get married. The supervisor put her belongings in his own locker, except for her clothing, which was promptly donated to charity. I believe she left the large amount of tip for the gentleman who was concerned most about her disappearance. 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 are other explanations for that, though. Ramiz alerted the crew about her disappearance shortly after arriving at port. SAN DIEGO (CBS/ AP) They were former high school sweethearts who found each other decades later and renewed their love. Bring me to brig or security office and check my cabin R24.. He drank heavily in Cabo that day before re-boarding the ship for the trip home. After he admitted killing his wife, the other couple reported him to Carnival Cruise Lines security, who confronted the man on deck, according to court papers. And if she committed suicide, why did the cruise ship staff act so suspiciously and try their best to cover it up? 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. Watch Cruise Ship Killers Streaming Online | Peacock Here are prices in 10 communities. They might have erased the surveillance tapes when they saw the crime. Unsolved Mysteries: Whatever happened to Merrian Carver? Im always skeptical of pulling the suicide card but it seems quite obvious here. What a frustrating story. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son 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. McGill was divorced when he reconnected with Shirley through the Internet, colleagues said. But when the weather report comes in for the evening showing no wind, a murder investigation begins. congratulations on the documentary. 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. 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). Frightening. She easily could have been pushedor have jumpedfrom this deck. Their marriage was the most important thing in his life," Paul White, a teacher at the school where McGill taught, told the AP. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison when sentenced Nov. 8. A new mystery on the high seas is the latest to plague the cruise ship industry, which has been under fire recently for the way it deals with onboard crimes. Just wanted to comment, I see so many people disparaging cruise lines here, but really how many crimes happen every day to people on land- based vacations? Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. He has never been named or located, though many believe he found work on a different ship. She told him she planned to go upstairs later, but did not want to visit the dining room. "And I said, 'No, she didn't. Everyone would assume she went overboard. McGill made the confession after being informed of his Miranda rights and telling interrogators he was willing to answer questions without the presence of an attorney, FBI Special Agent James B. Stinnett wrote in a probable cause affidavit attached to the criminal complaint charging him with one count of murder. i believe this is one of the reasons why. I cant believe she left because she had a daughter, and unless she was drastically suicidal, no mom would do that. they would have too many lawsuits because they take responsibility for NOTHING. But somebody outside that company knows something. None of Merrians family members or friends had any idea shed gone on a cruise, but this wasnt out of character. Theyre floating petri dishes at the best of times. 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.
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