2 talking about this. And if she planned on committing suicide, why the round-trip ticket? Alex Murdaugh found guilty of murders of wife and son 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. On May 12, a ship employee found two passports, two pairs of flip-flops . The lengths theyll go to are really shocking, even when its one of their own staff members who vanishes. Theres just not one industry to blame in that case. She was wearing mens clothing and seemed visibly distressed. Authorities believe that he jumped into the water on purpose. 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. Cruise Ship Killer Murdered Wife with Bare Hands, Say Feds Ashley. Will we ever know the truth? Shirley McGills children sounded a different note. Colombia wants to deport "cocaine hippos" to stop them from multiplying It is believed that he went overboard due to an accident on the ship. What a frustrating story. Barnett's family hired lawyer Gloria Allred in their search for answers. A blood-stained canopy is the only telltale sign of a young mans fate, leaving many more questions than answers to what happened. Fariba Amani was enjoying a cruise with her boyfriend, Ramiz Golshani, when she mysteriously vanished from the Bahamas Celebration cruise. Ashley Episode 1 - 44 mins During at least one of his visits, she was wearing a nightshirt and underwear. I havent read any comments so maybe others already brought up this theory. 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. Another guest on the cruise, a volunteer fireman, heard the boyfriend's screams and started CPR, and instructed him to call 911.". No one secured her cabin. Why wouldnt the stewards supervisor have sounded an alarm when informed she was missingif he had nothing to hide? She ordered 2 sandwiches and to me its kinda strange. I would bet he was married and wanted to keep it hush. they would have too many lawsuits because they take responsibility for NOTHING. To help others avoid the pain and suffering hed gone through, Carver founded International Cruise Victims, an advocacy and support group, in 2006. }, First published on July 20, 2009 / 11:30 AM. Cruise Ship Killers | Season 1 | Episode 16 | Erica - YouTube The investigator was allowed onto the ship, but wasnt permitted to speak to anyone, including the ships security officer. 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He made his initial court appearance on Thursday, prosecutors said, and his detention hearing is set for Sept. 12. Im wondering, though: How does anyone know how many clothes Merrian brought on board? The REAL Deaths Behind The Show (Episode Guide) - Emma Cruises You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie Preferences, as described in the Cookie Notice. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son I must tell you, no one that we talked with has been very forthcoming. They had been high school sweethearts who reunited through the Internet and married in 2003. Everyone has dark moments in their lives, and its a shame they can be used against us if we go missing. Her father was a hero. 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. Neither her family or International Cruise Victims, the organization her father founded, were notified. Shirley McGill retired last week from the state Department of Motor Vehicles, and her husband had planned to retire soon as well, acquaintances said. Just saw the episode and it was a real eye-opener. And if she committed suicide, why did the cruise ship staff act so suspiciously and try their best to cover it up? Beauty Dies Mysteriously On Cruise - CBS News She was last seen when the ship was around 48 kilometers (30 mi) off the coast of Ensenada, Mexico. But not everyone returns home from these trips. Their son, Michael Pham, testified before Congress to urge tougher regulation of safety practices on cruise lines. Trending News 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. She had made her decision and once they make that decision they do seem happy. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. We also use these cookies to understand how customers use our services (for example, by measuring site visits) so we can make improvements. Robert McGill was arrested when the ship docked in San Diego. Spending my holiday on a floating hotel never appealed, but even less so now. Theyre floating petri dishes at the best of times. "Are they ashamed of something?" Couldnt happen to nicer companies, Mark. 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. Witnesses aboard the ship claim they saw someone jump overboard around 6:00 AM the day he went missing. The authorities werent notified that she was missing. Newman is charged with second-degree murder. Voters will soon get a say, California Republicans give a boost to Florida Gov. I wake up every morning praying that no other mother ever has to live this nightmare. After they were unsuccessful, the United States Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy were alerted and joined the search. 2023 J.H. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. Meanwhile, Merrians13-year-old daughter, who lived with her dad, grew concerned when she couldnt reach her mother on the telephone. Tucker, of Lawson, Missouri, was a professor of social work at Park University in Missouri, The Kansas City Star said. SIGN UP FOR SNEAK PEEKS OF MY NEXT BOOK + NEWSLETTER-ONLY UPDATES. 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. 7 The Murder-Suicide Couple Salem couple found dead on cruise ship Darla J. Mellinger-Banner, 56, and John C. Banner, 56, of Salem, a suburb of Youngstown, Ohio, were known to Salem police after a December 21, 2014, incident where Darla Banner was injured in a knife accident. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Forge said the brutal death of Shirley McGill overshadowed her husbands career. display: none; Whatever decency Mr. McGill had, he left on the floor of that bathroom next to Shirleys beaten, bleeding and broken body, Forge said. Seriously! "I saw Bob a couple days before they left. [5], 10 People Who Mysteriously Vanished While Traveling. / CBS News. I feel the same. She supposedly was having a relationship with an unidentified cruise member. On March 22, 2011, while working on the Disney Wonder, Coriam disappeared. Also, its the way these incidents tend to be handled that is of even greater concern. A Carnival 'Elation' cruise ship in Nassau, Bahamas appears in this undated stock photo. Husband confessed to killing wife on cruise ship - Daily News Hougardy said Shirley McGill planned to move to Oregon, where her family and her children from a previous marriage lived. Her steward, Domingo Monteiro, found her to be personable, relaxed, and looking forward to the cruise. 10 Gruesome Cruise Ship Deaths - Listverse "She said, 'I'm terribly, terribly sorry to tell you your daughter passed away today,' " Jamie Barnett told Lagattuta. Stinnett noted in the court papers that Robert McGill's knuckles "appeared as if he had been in a fight.". Cruise Ship Killers (TV Series 2020- ) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb He eventually fell asleep. They had sailed on the Elation to celebrate their pending retirement. "Cruise Ship Killers" Gordon (TV Episode) - IMDb 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. I really dont have the words to make anyone feel better, said McGill. 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. Sometimes the obvious is the answer. That said, this case really disturbed me, due to the cover up by the cruise line (one I happen to sail on). If she jumped off her balcony, its not that far fetched that she would not wear shoes or even many clothes (after all, shes committing suicide). All told, hedspent $75,000 on investigators and lawyers and still had no idea what had happened to his daughter, though he believed her to be deceased. Security officers found a privacy please sign on the locked doorknob. After finding out more about these cruise ships, I dont think Ill follow their example. Why wasnt the FBI or other authorities given the opportunity to speak to him? 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. The couple had been high school sweethearts and then broke up. 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. Not to mention the tax breaks they get! display: block; They might have erased the surveillance tapes when they saw the crime. The guy she was in a relationship with panicked at her appearance (could have had another woman on board, could have thought the relationship had been a fling and freaked out when she showed up on his ship, who knows?). Once the cruise ended with no sign of Merrian,Monteiro again raised his concerns with his supervisor, who told him to box up Merrians personal belongings and bring them to his office. The latest involves the sudden death of an aspiring actress during a Carnival cruise in October. Cruise Ship Killers (2020- ) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Series Directed by Series Writing Credits Series Cast Series Produced by Series Music by Series Cinematography by Series Film Editing by Series Casting By Series Set Decoration by Series Makeup Department Series Production Management Such a tragedy that these crimes (I believe it WAS a crime) can be covered up so easily, leaving no closure or justice for the families. Authorities believe that the couple committed suicide by jumping into the sea together. Shirley McGill was beaten and strangled to death on the bathroom floor of a cruise ship cabin at the hands of her husband. The amount of people who go missing or who are murdered on cruise lines is disproportionate. Its so easy to claim every disappearance on a cruise ship is suicidetoo easy. The bottom line is if they had not been drinking, you can almost go to the bank that it would not have happened.. But when she doesn't check in with her family members back home, they begin to suspect something bad has befallen her. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. His body was never found. Allred asked at the news conference. Several people have vanished aboard cruise liners, leaving their friends and families heartbroken and confused. i have been on numerous cruises, but will probably never step on board one again. 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. display: none; He told her he would be back shortly. 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. The manilla envelope and the money Merrian had left in her room disappeared with him, along with other personal belongings. Later that night, he pummeled his wife inside the cabin, then strangled her. i read a lot of true crime, watch documentaries, id tv, forensic files.the criminal mind fascinates me. The couple was on a five-day cruise to Mexico, and it was the husband's 55th birthday. After he admitted killing his wife . 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. Frightening. White said he worked with McGill for nearly 11 years and knew him to be calm and pleasant. I killed Shirley by accident, well not by accident. Im always skeptical of pulling the suicide card but it seems quite obvious here. August 18, 2022. A former crew member contacted Carver and told him that Merrian had been having a relationship with another, unidentified crew member. On April 6, 2011, John Halford went missing while aboard Thomson Cruises Thomson Spirit. Shirleys dead and I killed her, he said, according to the court papers. ever wonder why cruise ships are not registered in the united states? 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? The Royal Caribbeandid contact the FBI, but not until Merrian had been missing for five weeks. The supervisor put her belongings in his own locker, except for her clothing, which was promptly donated to charity. Because you dont have that. He was the only one on that ship that genuinely cared, who raised an alarm, and who tried to find her. 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. But when the weather report comes in showing no wind, a murder investigation begins. This is very cruel.' Why? 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. Yep. McGill was going to join her when he retired. Its just my theory. She didnt have enough close for a full trip. 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. Christopher Caldwell and his fiancee, Crystal Tinder, went on a Carnival cruise in July 2004 to Mexico. I cant believe she left because she had a daughter, and unless she was drastically suicidal, no mom would do that. Thats why you cant show 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. As 48 Hours Mystery correspondent Bill Lagattuta reports, Ashley Barnett's family is desperate for. Barnett was just turning 25. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says I cant believe cruise ship employees would cover stories like these up. So she didnt raise her voice or yell/scream. Others say that she jumped or fell from the deck. 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. But when the weather report comes in for the evening showing no wind, a murder investigation begins. 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. 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. Frantic, she contacted Kendall Carver, Merrians dad, who reported his daughter missing to the Cambridge, Massachusetts police when he also couldnt reach her.