I feel the same. I think they are suffering and need to hear from me.". No, she didn't. The whereabouts of Fariba remain unknown, but her family suspects that Ramiz may have had something to do with her disappearance. 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. Obviously, it was a last-minute decision to go on this cruise (with her lover, a crew member? She easily could have been pushedor have jumpedfrom this deck. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says Its really scary. Carver was never seen again. On a whole other topic I really enjoyed Mask of Ghosts, J.H. Thats terrible that the cruise line basically covered it up. No one collected evidence. What a fascinating, yet scary, and helpless story! A detention hearing in the case is set for July 23, with a preliminary hearing on July 30. Theyre floating petri dishes at the best of times. Robert McGill spoke briefly, saying he was remorseful. Ashley Episode 1 - 44 mins In 2005, Hue Pham, 71, and Hue Tran, 67, took a seven-night Mothers Day cruise in the Caribbean with their daughter and granddaughter. 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. "The ships medical team responded immediately, but, unfortunately, she passed away.". One thing I learned from Cruise Ship Killers: never use the casino, or tell people youre going to the washroom. 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. Skeletal remains found in Pennsylvania identified as man missing since 2013 "They're suffering now," McGill was heard saying as he gestured to his family. No one filed a police report; no one contacted the family. Dana Bartholomew has been a general assignment reporter since 2000 for the Los Angeles Daily News. McGill's family, including two adult sons, declined to comment after the hearing, as did Assistant U.S. Attorney Joanna Curtis. The cruise lines are currently losing a massive amount of money daily, with their ships just sitting around. 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 was the last known sighting of Merrian alive. Mar 6th 600p DARLA Recently retired newly weds embark on their third tropical cruise in less than year. 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. "Bob and Shirley loved each other very much. Early that morning, Bradley went missing. It wasn't immediately clear to what McGill was referring. I believe the key to this story is her lack of luggage, clothes etc Suicide is pretty likely. Aztecs to honor 8 on Senior Night against Wyoming, but are all of them leaving? The 63-year-old man disappeared while on a holiday cruise in Egypt. Whatever decency Mr. McGill had, he left on the floor of that bathroom next to Shirleys beaten, bleeding and broken body, Forge said. "She said, 'I'm terribly, terribly sorry to tell you your daughter passed away today,' " Jamie Barnett told Lagattuta. Everybody loved her. But when shes found brutally murdered in a lower class cabin, questions revolve around who could have committed such a crime against her. She is survived by a son, her obituary said, according to the newspaper. Son Noel Salazar said that whatever McGill had accomplished it could not outweigh the killing, which has devastated the family. Allred asked at the news conference. 112 The Disappearance of Merrian Carver, 10 People Who Vanished Only To Mysteriously Reappear, 10 Civilizations That Mysteriously Vanished, 10 Eerie Last Words Of People Who Then Vanished, Top 10 Remarkable Finds Involving Old Ships And Explorers, 10 Expeditions That Mysteriously Disappeared, Top 10 Secrets Of Life Aboard A Cruise Ship, 10 Fascinating Finds And Stories Involving Old Ships, 10 People Who Claim To Be Reincarnations Of Other People, 10 Controversial Toys You Might Already Have in Your Home, Ten Absolutely Vicious Fights over Inherited Fortunes, 10 Female Film Pioneers Who Shaped the Movies, Ten True Tales from Americas Toughest Prison, 10 Times Members of Secretive Societies and Organizations Spilled the Beans, 10 Common Idioms with Unexpectedly Dark Origins, 10 North American Animals with Misplaced Reputations, Top 10 Bloody 20th-Century Mysteries Well Probably Never Solve. How did she disappear? Ramiz last saw her at the ships gift shop, and then he headed to the casino by himself. Its horrible that cruise lines have so much power to do whatever they please and cover up anything that is questionable. Hundreds of books have been written about Disney and the odd practices at their theme parks where they go to great lengths cover up medical episodes that are not their fault because they dont want to alarm people. Her poor dad. Perhaps you can help us figure out what happened to Julie Weflen. Colombia wants to deport "cocaine hippos" to stop them from multiplying 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 cruise ship was off the coast of Canada when the incident occurred. The couple, who had been married for 49 years, mysteriously vanished while on the Carnival Cruise Line ship. 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. Cruise Ship Killers | Season 1 | Episode 16 | Erica | John Barnard | J.H. 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. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Life is mystery, McGill reportedly said. Maybe his concern wasnt that genuine and he knew something. In 2010, Rebecca Coriam started working for Disney Cruise Line and spent months visiting several ports in the Bahamas. Almarosa Tenorio Passenger Death Aboard Royal Princess, Katherine Kemp Notable Cruise Industry Death Murder, Tamara Loraine Tucker Cruise Ship Passenger Murder Carnival Elation, Kristy Manzanares Cruise Ship Passenger Murder Emerald Princess, Simone Scheuer Souza Crew Cruise Ship Murder MSC Musica, Adriana Morales de Florencio Crew Cruise Ship Death Murder Navigator of the Seas, Li Yinglei Passenger Cruise Ship Death MSC Magnifica, Shirley Timmons Cruise Ship Passenger Death, Mary Louise Amzibel Cruise Ship Passenger Death. As 48 Hours Mystery correspondent Bill Lagattuta reports, Ashley Barnett's family is desperate for answers. When Carver contacted Royal Caribbean to confirm his daughter had been on the ship, it took them three days to get back to him. Shes dead, said McGill, then 55, according to court papers. His body was never found. (Names and other identifying details were changed on the show for legal reasons.). Her family was not contacted and her items were removed from her cabin. I think he lured her to a trap pretending like he was happy about the pregnancy. His reaction does seem strange. I cant believe cruise ship employees would cover stories like these up. A social media maven takes a cruise she believes will put her public profile over the tipping point. 1. Their son, Michael Pham, testified before Congress to urge tougher regulation of safety practices on cruise lines. Maybe he was worried about losing his job so he covered up the suicide and took the suicide letter and money. 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. 10 Ships That Simply Vanished Without A Trace. The FBI says the investigation is ongoing. 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. I cant believe she left because she had a daughter, and unless she was drastically suicidal, no mom would do that. 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. Because you dont have that. Its so easy to claim every disappearance on a cruise ship is suicidetoo easy. Me too, Birgit. I so appreciate your support and the lovely review! He was initially charged with first-degree murder. After finding out more about these cruise ships, I dont think Ill follow their example. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, under fire recently for the way it deals with onboard crimes. Shirley McGill retired last week from the state Department of Motor Vehicles, and her husband had planned to retire soon as well, acquaintances said. SIGN UP FOR SNEAK PEEKS OF MY NEXT BOOK + NEWSLETTER-ONLY UPDATES. Cruise Ship Murders A person that is killed by someone, the involvement of a perpetrator is required and where suicide is excluded. U.S. District Magistrate William McCurine Jr. entered. Another guest on the cruise, a volunteer fireman, heard the boyfriend's screams and started CPR, and instructed him to call 911.". Newlyweds board a cruise ship, but things take a turn for the worse when one disappears in the middle of the night. Robert McGill was not in the room when the body was found, but was taken into custody by ship security later on, authorities said. 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. He was the only one on that ship that genuinely cared, who raised an alarm, and who tried to find her. A retired teacher takes a solo Great Lakes cruise toward a family reunion. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. Sadly, well probably never know the answers. Its not good publicity and results in very costly lawsuits. She spent time by herself and didnt want to go to the dinner. Carver went on to win his lawsuit, but it was a hollow victory. She supposedly was having a relationship with an unidentified cruise member. This is a joke. i read a lot of true crime, watch documentaries, id tv, forensic files.the criminal mind fascinates me. 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. A professors assistant goes missing at sea near the end of a long voyage. Did she decide to skip out on her duties or did a terrible fate await her on-shore? The cruise line maintained theyd had no reports about his daughter during the cruise, and refused to reveal the name of Merrians steward. There have been many theories about her disappearance, but none have been proven to be true. McGill told a Carnival investigator he had argued with his wife and punched her once in the stomach. He appeared without handcuffs and wore a white jumpsuit. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Third parties use cookies for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalised ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. Carnival Cruise Lines Carnival Fascination was near Miami on the final night of the trip when Caldwell disappeared. Calls to McGill's attorney were not immediately returned. I know Ive done a horrible thing.. McGill was divorced when he reconnected with Shirley through the Internet, colleagues said. She didnt have enough close for a full trip. The passports belonged to Hue Pham and Hue Tran.[10]. Did the pressure of the kitchen make her take her own life or did foul play occur? Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. "I know that she would never have knowingly or willingly ingested that," Jamie said. Your email address will not be published. A former crew member contacted Carver and told him that Merrian had been having a relationship with another, unidentified crew member. McGill was going to join her when he retired. However, he only did this because he was ordered to do so by the coast guard. Ashley. He drank. "Are they ashamed of something?" When she failed to report for her shift, crew members started looking for Coriam. Police and the FBI also failed to find any evidence or trace of her during their investigation on the ship. What a frustrating story. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Click Customise Cookies to decline these cookies, make more detailed choices, or learn more. No, shes dead. To help others avoid the pain and suffering hed gone through, Carver founded International Cruise Victims, an advocacy and support group, in 2006. Youre not the only one who has that theory, Alexgood call. A risk-management manager for the cruise line told him that no alarm had been raised after his daughters disappearance, since it was normal for people to leave their belongings behind, and normal for them to suddenly change their rooms without notice. i too believe she was murdered. } i believe this is one of the reasons why. She was wearing mens clothing and seemed visibly distressed. They might have erased the surveillance tapes when they saw the crime. Thanks so much, Cat. 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.). It was believed that he had fallen overboard, and the coast guard spent 36 hours looking for his body. If she walked to the observation deck to commit suicide, she did it in her underwear. In fact, the police only learned of her disappearance when her father filed a missing persons report days later. Do you know anything about the claims by Canadian authorities that they thought the found Merrians bones? } And that's a shame. He killed her and tossed her overboard. Did someone aboard see her before she disappeared? At his court appearance earlier in the day, she declined to comment on the case. 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. In bankruptcy papers, McGill listed assets of $50,000 to $100,000 and debts of $100,000 to $500,000. The American woman was only 23 years old when she disappeared from the vessel on March 24, 1998. The 40-year-old woman vanished from a Royal Caribbean ship that nobody in her family even knew she had boarded. Newman is charged with second-degree murder. Barnett's family hired lawyer Gloria Allred in their search for answers. Her father was a hero. But somebody outside that company knows something. But their luck changes drastically and the friends who are on board celebrating with them now aid in the search for the farmer who is now missing at sea. Meanwhile, Merrians13-year-old daughter, who lived with her dad, grew concerned when she couldnt reach her mother on the telephone. He loved her with all his heart, White, a Ventura resident, said in an interview. Her family believes foul play was involved, but her case remains unsolved.[8]. It is believed that he went overboard due to an accident on the ship. / CBS News. 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. Im wondering, though: How does anyone know how many clothes Merrian brought on board? Is it on TV yet? One thing many tourists dont realize is that American cruise ships sail under foreign flags, which allows them to circumvent US lawsand taxes. ), but why would someone kill her? Carvers living hell was about to begin. Just saw the episode and it was a real eye-opener. First published on April 5, 2006 / 8:22 AM. display: block; Eric Newman appears in this 2013 mugshot provided by the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. Its so sad, and I also dont think she would have left her daughter. In two years of letter writing, White said his friend has never explained why he killed his sweetheart. I disagree. Moncrieff. But just six years later, Robert allegedly murdered Shirley on the bathroom floor of their cruise ship cabin. There are simply too many cooks stirring this particular pot of murky broth. congratulations on the documentary. Why wouldnt the cruise-ship employees want to find out the truth? Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. 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. 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. horror and suspense author J.H. Though there is no evidence she even attempted suicide in the past, this history gave the Royal Caribbean the ammunition it needed. 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.