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.
My bad.....:(
Think I'll get ratted on? lol
My bad.....:(
Think I'll get ratted on? lol
_______________________________________
No rats on this thread - I checked;)
Y'all have fun - have to run.
sp
Believe so. The ones George was drinking absinthe with, 160 proof alcohol that is not served on the ship, so one of the guys brought it on board, probably from Greece.
I haven't been playing VERY close attention - but I thought the guys who got thrown off the ship were Russians, and the guys they were partying with were from the Bronx or Brooklyn.. (one of the "B" boroughs.. laugh)
Oh. I really don't know as I've not paid close attention either. It's become a source of frustration, following these unsolved cases! I'm sure the movie version will clear things up when the time comes.
Yes, I've heard now 2 different versions of how big that blood area is. One expert over the past weekend said it is probably 4 to 5 feet in length.
Then the woman who took a photo of it said it looked to be the size of her beagle.
Unfortunately unless they can figure out a way to scale it somehow, it will remain a mystery.
Yeah, it NEVER got photoed w/a ruler
or yardstick, whatever.
The ship's crew immediately swabed the
deck! Before the FBI could take photos
and measurments!
Unless they can re-create that bloody area, using the same type camera, standing in the same location, then building up a blood spot till it matches the original.
On Scarborough, the CT Atty Gen said that there is a "very vigorous" investigation going on.
So there may be some hope here of finding out what happened eventually.
repinging myself
You made me laugh with the movie comment.. I'm beginning to feel the same way... especially when they start running together in my mind.. laugh..
LOL!!
I wonder who he's talking too?
not sure but it looks like an earlier one perhaps with Ray Milland or someone
*reminding self not to highjack thread*
Do the staff have standing instructions to 'clear the decks?' Or are they making sure their superiors don't find out about their 'little games?'
Either way, the superiors must know by now one of their passengers went missing. [/sarc]
Their lack of response is rather cavalier, doncha think? Thinking that people decide to leave at one of the ports is probably just what they would want us to think. Us=honest people.
Did these 'pranksters' share their 'little games' with other pranksters at the ports? Perhaps brag about not getting caught for the past six years?
That's my gut feeling as well. I doubt they'll find out the truth but hey, it could happen.
I just read that they're Russian from Brooklyn!
C'mon now. It was just the cleaning crew doing their normal morning mop up.
lol i know i was kidding around silly :)
Oh my.... so they probably are the same guys huh? Sheesh.. I wonder if the authorities thought they were seperate groups in the beginning .. or if it was just my misunderstanding...
At least it doesn't make the entire cruise look like it had multiple "bad groups" on board...
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