Posted on 07/27/2005 11:19:53 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
STAMFORD, Conn. — The night a newlywed vanished from his honeymoon cruise, the sounds of a loud party were coming from his stateroom, followed by male voices arguing on the balcony and then a "horrific thud," a fellow passenger says.
The ship was in the Mediterranean Sea when Connecticut resident George Smith IV disappeared more than three weeks ago.
No one has been charged, but Connecticut's top federal prosecutor said Tuesday that the 26-year-old's disappearance is being aggressively investigated and reports of blood on the ship raise concerns. The comments are the first by a U.S. prosecutor on the case and the strongest indication yet that officials suspect foul play.
"We think the circumstances are unique enough and suspicious enough that a thorough investigation is warranted," U.S. Attorney Kevin O'Connor told The Associated Press.
O'Connor said investigators were still interviewing passengers and staff from the ship, and he declined to discuss details of the investigation.
Turkish prosecutor told the AP last week that Smith's new wife, Jennifer Hagel, was not suspected in her husband's disappearance.
The couple had been drinking and gambling at the ship's casino that night, the prosecutor said. The next morning, he said, Hagel woke up and went to the gym. Smith was reported missing after cleaners found blood in their cabin. There was also blood on the balcony and a hand print on the side of the ship, the prosecutor said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Clete Hyman, a passenger in a neighboring stateroom, described what he heard during the cruise in an interview Monday night on MSNBC's "Scarborough Country."
The night Smith disappeared, Hyman said he heard what sounded like a loud party in Smith's room, then "some very loud arguing out on the balcony."
He said he heard several male voices and then noises in the cabin that sounded like furniture being moved. Then, he said, he heard a "horrific thud."
O'Connor wouldn't comment Tuesday on Hyman's account.
Smith's and Hagel's families, who live in Connecticut, have not publicly commented and did not return phone messages.
Turkish authorities handled the case after the disappearance was reported July 5 when the ship docked at Kusadasi, a resort area in the Aegean region of Turkey. U.S. officials were given the case last week.
I saw that on tv and "I" had to close my eyes!!! And I've never been on an amusement park ride that I didn't like.
However, my all time favorite is the Tilt-A-Whirl! I could ride that all day long!!
Maybe he could have cut himself
"just enough"? And smeared it
on the overhang and inside the
cabin?
Similar cases have been tried
before. Unsuccessfully I might
add.
Every so often A&E or Court TV has a story of someone who faked their death--some of them are quite imaginative. Some wouldn't have gotten caught if they hadn't have tried to contact family members at some point.
Exactly. Those are the ones I've seen, too.
Wonder if they ever caught the guy that
jumped from a plane over Canada w/a bag
full of money? This was in the 1970's,
IIRC.
Beats Rusty Balls.
Oh how horrible... I'd heard that it hit a lot of people hard... No way I was going to ride it.. :(
I must gracefully disagree. Ef Aruba until they get serious about this investigation.
The wife was acting as if she had been married for 17 years. Nothing strange there.
She must have planned the whole thing. Someone met her on the ship and they killed hubby.
hmmm now that does sound like an interesting theory...
I also think the could have created enough blood to smear..
Oh man.. we'll have to mark this theory of yours!!!
I think it's curious about the silence from his parents. I would hope that they would have their own investigator on this, but who knows? It's very weird.
It's a better avenue & more logical,
than what I've seen in 2 months on
one case, we're all too familiar w/. lol
Laugh... oh yes! Now I'm getting freepmail from someone telling me I have "no sense" in regards to the other case.. Watch out.... now we have "good sense monitors" on the threads... laugh.
OMG!!! Good sense monitors??? HOW FUNNY!!
[I haven't been back to that thread & don't plan to. It's so far out there w/Jossy's rubbish & they're buying it hook, line & sinker.]
Gives credence to your theory. I wonder if they tested the blood to see if it's even human.
Ohhhhhh noooooo--not the Good Sense Police!!!!
I think we'll find out soon.
The FBI has been given full
reign to do all the investigating
since this happened.
Turkey doesn't want a thing to
do w/this case.
Not only that, but the "ambiance" kinda stinks.
Bwahahahaha!!!!
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