UPDATED (7/18/2009)
Imagine you’re wrapping up your Baja Carnival cruise, heading back to port, and you happen to see a group of 20 FBI agents rendezvous with your ship and board while you’re still at sea. Sound crazy? That was the scene on the Carnival Elation Wednesday, where a 55 year old Shirley McGill was killed after a domestic dispute.
Carnival released a statement saying in part that “A domestic dispute occurred between a husband and wife in their cabin, resulting in the wife’s death…The husband was taken into custody aboard the vessel and all appropriate authorities, including the FBI and U.S. Coast Guard, were notified.”
The San Diego FBI office confirmed that 20 agents had met the ship at sea, and spent the night interviewing the husband and up to 40 potential witnesses.
On Friday, the San Diego County medical examiner conducted an autopsy, and concluded that McGill had died of strangulation and blunt force injury to the head and torso.
Her Husband, Robert McGill has been charged with the murder, following several reports that he confessed the crime to federal officials.
“Defendant Robert McGill stated he killed his wife in the bathroom of their cabin with his bare hands,” a criminal complaint filed by FBI Special Agent James Stinnett says, according to Los Angeles’ Daily News.
Carnival stated that the Elation’s scheduled departure Thursday would not be delayed.
The 70,000-ton, 2,052-passenger Elation is based in San Diego and is currently running a 5-day Baja Mexico Cruise which includes stops in Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, Mexico.
I TAKE 1 TO 2 CRUISES A YEAR…THE MORE I CRUISE, THE MORE UNSAFE I FEEL…NEVER, I MEAN NEVER, TRUST ANY-ONE ON A CRUISE SHIP. THIS GOES FOR SHIPS STAFF, CREW OR ITS PASSENGERS. AND ABOVE ALL NEVER TRUST THE TOUR OPERATORS…A CRUISE SHIP SET SAIL ON THE WATER IS LIKE A LARGE CITY @ NIGHT. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT AROUND THE NEXT CORNER…JUST BE AWARE OF WHO & WHAT IS AROUND YOU…
Thanks for your comment Cruiser, and good advice to be always aware.
This altercation appears to be a domestic issue between a couple, and the ship’s officials did the right thing by taking control of the situation and calling in the proper authorities.
While it’s always important to stay vigilant when traveling, I don’t think this incident between a man and his wife should discourage anyone from taking a cruise, nor speaks to the overall safety aboard Carnival ships.
My family and I were the 5-days Cabo cruise on the Elation that had recently came back last Thursday. Let me say that we had no idea that it even occurred. My aunt said she heard “bright star” but she didn’t know what it meant. We found out that afternoon when we came home and we were all very shocked and disturbed. They really kept it under wraps so there wouldn’t be a panic, I’m sure. It still creeps me out that a murder happen in such a close proximity.
We have just finished a wonderful cruise to mexico and found out halfway through
That our room was the room that she was murdered in kinding of creeping at first
but it didnt change our time and no ghoust
What room number were you in?