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. He disappeared after reportedly either jumping or falling from a cruise ship. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased and her family. 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. On April 6, 2011, John Halford went missing while aboard Thomson Cruises Thomson Spirit. Her father was a hero. Did the pressure of the kitchen make her take her own life or did foul play occur? 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. One thing many tourists dont realize is that American cruise ships sail under foreign flags, which allows them to circumvent US lawsand taxes. Shirleys dead and I killed her, he said, according to the court papers. "I don't think it is for the best. The 47-year-old mother of two from Canada disappeared on February 29, 2012, somewhere between the Bahamas and Florida. A family of four takes a cruise of a lifetime, but only three return home; their desperate search for their missing adult daughter begins, with all signs pointing to a kidnapping. Thesupervisor whod dismissed the stewards concerns was fired and ushered off the ship before the FBI could speak to him. The cover up may not be as mysterious as it seems. Shirley McGills children from a previous marriage and her elderly parents gasped in relief when the judge announced the sentence. They all had a few drinks and decided to hit up some of the nightclubs after dinner. ", When she died, Barnett was working for composer John Debny, who remarked to Lagattuta: "No one is forthcoming. Prime Video: Cruise Ship Killers - Season 1 In 2010, Rebecca Coriam started working for Disney Cruise Line and spent months visiting several ports in the Bahamas. Ashley. "On Oct. 15, 2005," Allred told a news conference, "Ashley's boyfriend ran into the hallway screaming for help. Or was it something more sinister? "Bob and Shirley never said anything negative about each other," Michael Hougardy, a neighbor in McGills' cul-de-sac in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, told The Associated Press. 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. As 48 Hours Mystery correspondent Bill Lagattuta reports, Ashley Barnett's family is desperate for. Robert McGill, 57, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in July, and his lawyers were seeking a sentence of slightly more than 11 years in prison. Authorities believe that he jumped into the water on purpose. Did she decide to skip out on her duties or did a terrible fate await her on-shore? Thanks, Sherry. 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. "They're suffering now," McGill was heard saying as he gestured to his family. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The discovery led FBI agents to intercept the Carnival Elation cruise ship while it was at sea and interview dozens of witnesses, including Robert McGill. A honeymoon cruise goes awry when the bride is allegedly blown off a balcony in the middle of the night. The case went to trial in August 2005, which was when he at last saw a copy of the security report, which he felt clearly indicated a cover up. He did report that it was a short walk from Merrians room to an observation deck 100 feet above the waterline. According to authorities, he was last seen at the ships bar drinking cocktails. Its a shame and I am shocked by how many disappearances occur on cruise ships. She ordered 2 sandwiches and to me its kinda strange. What a tragic story. 2. Featuring interviews with family, friends, investigators and experts. Shirley McGills children sounded a different note. She supposedly was having a relationship with an unidentified cruise member. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The whereabouts of Fariba remain unknown, but her family suspects that Ramiz may have had something to do with her disappearance. Two years later, he married Shirley McGill in Las Vegas. My overall impression is that more than one person is covering up, for reasons of their own. She was last seen when the ship was around 48 kilometers (30 mi) off the coast of Ensenada, Mexico. } 10 Gruesome Cruise Ship Deaths - Listverse Rapid reversal of price growth: San Diego home prices declining more quickly than other cities, Fernando Tatis Jr. disciplined at the top of Padres stacked lineup and still learning in right field, Demand for freshmen admission at UC San Diego drops for first time in roughly 20 years, Two women suffer major injuries after head-on collision in Lake Murray-area, Aztecs assistant coach Ron Gould hired by NFLs Rams less than a month into role at SDSU, Spring training recap: Padres no-hit by Cubs, After mans death ruled a homicide, sheriff says jails are working to better meet needs of mentally ill inmates, Opinion: Being a DJ is about music but its also about common ground, companionship and knowledge. Everyone would assume she went overboard. He spent an hour searching for her on the ship.[7]. He loved her with all his heart, White, a Ventura resident, said in an interview. When he goes missing, all signs point to foul play. It was believed that he had fallen overboard, and the coast guard spent 36 hours looking for his body. 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. The passports belonged to Hue Pham and Hue Tran.[10]. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Others believe that he accidentally fell into the water after drinking too much. A detention hearing in the case is set for July 23, with a preliminary hearing on July 30. But Barnett's friends and family say Carnival has been stonewalling them. The investigator was allowed onto the ship, but wasnt permitted to speak to anyone, including the ships security officer. Dont think Ill be going on any cruises. Couldnt happen to nicer companies, Mark. Theyre floating petri dishes at the best of times. How much he had is not known, but witnesses said he could barely walk when he returned to the ship. Some theories claimed that he was thrown overboard by the men with whom he was arguing. Robert McGill was not in the room when the body was found, but was taken into custody by ship security later on, authorities said. "The ships medical team responded immediately, but, unfortunately, she passed away.". I think they are suffering and need to hear from me.". ), but why would someone kill her? Her dad returned to the balcony at 6:00 AM to check on Amy, but she was no longer there. An average of ten Americans disappear from cruise ships every year. Top 10 People Who Mysteriously Vanished From Cruise Ships I disagree. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says Here are prices in 10 communities. Cruise Ship Killers Season 1 (2) 2021 NR A true crime television 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. The search for his body was called off after four days.[4]. Why? 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. The couple, who had been married for 49 years, mysteriously vanished while on the Carnival Cruise Line ship. Frightening. On a whole other topic I really enjoyed Mask of Ghosts, J.H. I honestly think someone killed her; I dont believe it was suicide. Carvers living hell was about to begin. There should have still been footage from the time his daughter disappeared when he first contacted them. I must tell you, no one that we talked with has been very forthcoming. How did she disappear? . But when she doesn't check in with her family members back home, they begin to suspect something bad has befallen her. Some 30 years later, they reconnected at a high school reunion, got married and by all accounts were happy together. Crime A farmer and his wife take a cruise celebrating their hard work and good fortune in life. In 2015, the FBI closed their investigation into the disappearance of Smith. Thats why she never said a word to anyone about he going in a cruise. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. This person jumped. #inline-recirc-item--id-d44635f2-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Thanks so much, Cat. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. I would bet he was married and wanted to keep it hush. This is a joke. She left the band around 1:00 AM, and her father noticed her sleeping on their cabin balcony around 5:30 AM. 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. Allred asked at the news conference. 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. And if she planned on committing suicide, why the round-trip ticket? He noticed she only had two handbags (purses), one dress, and one pair of sandals. But not everyone returns home from these trips. 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. Why wouldnt the stewards supervisor have sounded an alarm when informed she was missingif he had nothing to hide? 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. They eventually called off the search, and Caldwell was presumed to be dead. People who are determined and serious about committing suicide are good at hiding sadness. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. Both had no history of violence or marital discord, according to court papers. The couple, who had been married for 49 years, mysteriously vanished while on the Carnival Cruise Line ship. 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. The manilla envelope and the money Merrian had left in her room disappeared with him, along with other personal belongings. Voters will soon get a say, California Republicans give a boost to Florida Gov. My theory: sailing was a last-minute decision to meet up with the crew member with whom she was having a relationship. 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. Heres what we know, Governors declaration allows Los Angeles County to get reimbursed, Who will replace ex-LA councilmember Nury Martinez? Husband confessed to killing wife on cruise ship, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Tom Sizemore, Saving Private Ryan actor, dies at 61, 7 house fires prompt fears about gas meters buried in snow. The supervisor probably knows what happened. Later that night, he pummeled his wife inside the cabin, then strangled her. Moncrieff, Damian Turner #CruiseShipKillers #CrimeTV #BreakthroughEntertainment "She said, 'I'm terribly, terribly sorry to tell you your daughter passed away today,' " Jamie Barnett told Lagattuta. If she walked to the observation deck to commit suicide, she did it in her underwear. Im always skeptical of pulling the suicide card but it seems quite obvious here. I so appreciate your support and the lovely review! Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Forge said the brutal death of Shirley McGill overshadowed her husbands career. He was looking forward to it.". I think he lured her to a trap pretending like he was happy about the pregnancy. Her poor dad. Witnesses aboard the ship claim they saw someone jump overboard around 6:00 AM the day he went missing. But her family said she would have stayed away from there. Ashley Episode 1 - 44 mins On the final day of the trip, she disappeared from Carnivals ship The Pride. Yep. 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? To learn more about how and for what purposes Amazon uses personal information (such as Amazon Store order history), please visit our Privacy Notice. I cant believe she left because she had a daughter, and unless she was drastically suicidal, no mom would do that. Cruise Ship Killers (TV Series 2020- ) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb So she didnt bring a lot of clothes with her. As her family hadnt known that Carver was on the ship, the police needed time to trace her there. So he killed her. After he admitted killing his wife . Theres just not one industry to blame in that case. Here are 10 times that people mysteriously disappeared from cruise ships. No one secured her cabin. Friends and neighbors said they were shocked to learn of the charge. On May 12, a ship employee found two passports, two pairs of flip-flops . The cruise line maintained theyd had no reports about his daughter during the cruise, and refused to reveal the name of Merrians steward. Thank you to Jamie Barnett, President of the ICV, for his assistance and support with this post. RIP, Kendall Carver. Cruise Ship Killer Murdered Wife with Bare Hands, Say Feds Nearly six months later, what happened aboard the ship remains a mystery. A retired teacher takes a solo Great Lakes cruise toward a family reunion. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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.. Suicidal people are not thinking clearly. 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. The luggage contained gifts that he had purchased for his wife and children. Frustrated, Carverhired one of the largest private investigation firms in the country, but this resulted in more questions than answers. Merrian booked passage on the cruise only two days before it sailed, and brought two handbags, but no suitcases, on board. Newlyweds board a cruise ship, but things take a turn for the worse when one disappears in the middle of the night. Moncrieff Breakthrough Entertainment 108K subscribers Subscribe 2.2K 222K views 1 year ago #BreakthroughEntertainment. Authorities believe that Halford went missing sometime between 11:45 PM on April 6 and 7:30 AM on April 7. At his court appearance earlier in the day, she declined to comment on the case. 2023 J.H. Im wondering, though: How does anyone know how many clothes Merrian brought on board? What a fascinating, yet scary, and helpless story! Shirley McGill, 55, was killed on July 14, 2009, aboard the Carnival cruise ship Elation. Its so easy to claim every disappearance on a cruise ship is suicidetoo easy. No body was ever found. She is survived by a son, her obituary said, according to the newspaper. What do you think happened to Merrian? 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. This is my theory. Caldwell was never seen again. They either gambled and won quite a bit of money, or they said they were going to the bathroom, and WERE NEVER SEEN AGAIN. Maybe the supervisor steward thought he may get into trouble having to report a suicide. He also learned hed been lied to about the surveillance footage, which had been kept for onemonth, not three days. Ok so where the video. SAN DIEGO (CBS/ AP) They were former high school sweethearts who found each other decades later and renewed their love. #inline-recirc-item--id-d44635f2-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-d44635f2-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { Frantic, she contacted Kendall Carver, Merrians dad, who reported his daughter missing to the Cambridge, Massachusetts police when he also couldnt reach her. Not to mention the tax breaks they get! display: none; White said he worked with McGill for nearly 11 years and knew him to be calm and pleasant. They said that his death could have resulted from an accident, but his family was never convinced. He made his initial court appearance on Thursday, prosecutors said, and his detention hearing is set for Sept. 12. Spending my holiday on a floating hotel never appealed, but even less so now. But after she witnesses a man overboard, many begin to wonder if it was accidental or on purpose - and who is next? The family says Barnett's boyfriend told them he had no idea what happened. Will we ever know the truth? There are other explanations for that, though. The entire set-up was a bit weird (why did she not have a suitcase?). About The Author: Im just another bearded guy trying to write my way through life. Sorry for the late response. How did they come to the conclusion that if she jumped, it would have been done in her underwear? 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. Cruise Ship Killers - Facebook The ship had left Jacksonville, Florida, the day before. To me, suicide is a silent because we dont always recognize the signs until theyve passed.