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.
Interesting theory. Wonder if the FBI has interviewed him, being that he was one of the last people to see George alive? I haven't heard much about this case lately.
I tend to think George and Jennifer were behaving as if it was a fraternity/sorority mixer rather than a honeymoon.
Scarborough is still covering it--saw a teaser last night but didn't stay up to watch it. Seemed to be more noise about all the "facts" we covered weeks ago on this thread.
http://www.wnbc.com/slideshow/4858487/detail.html?qs=;s=1;w=320
Inclulded in this slide show is a picture of Josh Askin.
Wow. Indications that the wife could be charged and that "she was with another man"--the casino manager?
What a pitiful alibi. Defense lawyers like this one must wonder, at times, how they can defend their clients. Look forward to the transcript and thanks.
More info on the case....
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8984733/
DONNA GREGORY, MSNBC-TV ANCHOR: When you and I talked a couple of weeks ago, we talked about potential suspects, two Russian brothers and a California teen. (Askin) is the California teen.
SUSAN FILAN, MSNBC LEGAL ANALYST: This is the California teen, his dad is a doctor, he was reportedly in the room with George Smith before he disappeared and he is a key piece in the puzzle for this investigation.
GREGORY: Because he was one of the last, allegedly, to see him alive?
FILAN: That’s exactly right, and if you recall, the next door passenger who heard the altercation and the thud, opened his door, and saw, after the altercation and the thud, the two Russians and the California teen walking down the hallway.
GREGORY: And that next door passenger has a lot of credibility, he’s former law enforcement, correct?
FILAN: That is absolutely right.
GREGORY: How about the credibility of the guy we see on the tape, Josh?
FILAN: Well there are some inconsistencies in what he is saying, versus what the passenger is saying, versus what the investigation has yielded, nonetheless, law enforcement is certainly focusing in on him as somebody with a the key piece to this puzzle.
This kid must be freaking out. Any further news on the Russians from NY?
Which is most likely why he has a lawyer. No new news on the Russians.
Have you visited the Huntress blog lately?
Yeah. It reminds me of all the fuss about the lying going on on Big Brother 6. Imagine, a reality show with lying in it? Oh...just like in real life!
Reports of blood? I think that those photos are more than just reports.
This seems to have dropped off the face of the Earth.
Follow the money.
Scarborough is keeping this story very alive. He has a couple who where next door on his show last night and they reported hearing what sounded like furniture being moved around; then a loud thump followed by no noise whatsoever. And during the "furniture moving" there were no voices. A bit later they heard tapping on Smith's door; husband goes out to see what's going on and tells the two "security guys" they'd best check on this room based on the noises they heard. No one apparantly entered the room until later that morning. Joe was also going to talk by phone to Jennifer's mother but I missed that segment.
If you google this story, it's pretty dead.
Interesting. No wonder Scarborough is thinking about running for Senator.
Whose money?
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