Posted on 06/21/2008 7:04:12 AM PDT by driftdiver
An American tourist was charged with murder yesterday for allegedly drowning his bride of 11 days on a scuba diving trip on the Great Barrier Reef during their honeymoon. Christina Mae Watson, 26, died while diving on a shipwreck near the northeastern Australian city of Townsville while her husband looked on.
Daniel Watson, 31, of Birmingham, Alabama, had claimed during police interviews that his wife had panicked a few minutes into the dive. He said that as she thrashed around in the water, she grabbed hold of his mask and pushed it off his face. He later described seeing her, with her eyes wide and arms stretched out towards him, sink into the deep.
Mr Watson was an experienced diver who had completed a diving rescue course and was acting as a “dive buddy” for his wife, who was a novice. Despite his training, he told police that he decided to go for help rather than attempt to rescue his wife. One of the leaders of the dive trip pulled Mrs Watson to the surface, but attempts to resuscitate her failed.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
One of the news shows had an entire segment on this case only two weeks ago. The parents of the dead woman were interviewed extensively and never once mentioned murder. They used “suspicious” and “inexplicable” instead. I don’t think this is revenge, since the Australian diving authorities were the ones who didn’t believe the guy from day one, and actually did a videotaped reenactment of the incident. Plus, after two years, an eyewitness (diver from another ship) came forward.
The motive seems to have been her life insurance policy, which he wanted her to increase and sign over to him before the wedding. She was so busy with arrangements that she lied and told him she did, when she really didn’t. He didn’t get a penny. Sad for her family, I hope they nail this guy before he runs and hides. As of today, nobody seems to know where he is, not even his lawyer.
Precisely, Mr. Holmes!
He'll end up being a senator some day!
On the true crimes shows, you can observe countless murder defendants in the annals of crime found guilty on circumstantial evidence alone, even less than in this case.
It all depends on any forensic science and/or how skillfully the prosecutor weaves the case, especially the psychology of the principals, i.e., the alleged perp, the victim.....and even of the marriage itself.
Leni
Isn’t there a rule about the regulator? Like if its found in their mouth then they ran out of air. If they’ve spit it out then theres something else that went wrong.
Not 100% reliable but it was something told to me by my instructors.
fryem
“Dive training does not an experienced diver make.”
I thought the story says he was an experienced diver.
“You can get certified in a resort course in these places in a few days.”
You can’t get rescue certified that easily.
“Only way he could’ve exonerated himself for some here on this thread was to have gone to the bottom also.”
Doesn’t look like the water was that deep. I certainly would have tried if my new bride was in danger. It would be different if it was 200’ or deeper.
“Uh. Meanwhile, she did no thrashing around...no panicking...nobody else in the dive group noticed anything awry while she was “dying or nearly dying.””
They did notice, the divemaster is pictured swimming to her. Its quite difficult to watch everyone in a dive group when you peripheral view is limited by your mask, water clarity, bubbles, pretty fish, and other divers.
I’m glad I’m not the one that has to make the decision of his guilt or innocence.
Article says that the father says that the bride said that the suspect said.
Yeah. That's not a very solid prosecutorial case.
Now...when a man marries a woman (uh, did she have any credit card debt maybe? Hmmm?) he becomes liable for her debts, too.
Spouses should set their coverage so that either remaining spouse would be able to pay off the combined debt, or at least enough to allow the remaining spouse to survive on the remaining respective income.
Did he up his coverage, too?
Had the groom died on the trip and had NOT upped his own life insurance to care for HER in the event of his death, then the father-in-law would've derided the groom as an irresponsible fool, too.
The court will decide on facts, but the court of FR kneejerk opinion is a little too quick.
Oh BTW, its not a very dangerous sport. Follow the rules and its extremely safe.
It is a great sport though. I like the drift dives cause I’m lazy.
It wouldn’t be the first time a man killed his wife. They usually wait until after the honeymoon though.
A lot of accidents are caused by guys pressuring their girl friend or wife (who otherwise have no interest) to become divers. The women let themselves be pressured and manage to get thru training. Not a dig against women, just that us guys tend to be pushy sometimes.
My girlfriend and I are going to Pictured Rocks in Michigan’s UP next week. I’ve asked her if she’s taken any life insurance policies out on me.
Florida is warmer ya know. :)more sharks tho
The arms outstretched part isn’t unusual. According to my training unconscious people tend to be found in that position.
I can’t imagine any diver, let alone a rescue diver, swimming away from someone he knew in that position. I know divers who risked their lives for people they didn’t know and had never spoken to.
Well, every sport is safe as long as nothing goes wrong.
"There are old divers, and bold divers, but no old, bold divers."
It is a great sport though. I like the drift dives cause I’m lazy.
LOL. Fair enough. But what happens when the boat driver doesn't show to pick you up where you expect!
I dove at a shack where the following week, not only did they leave two divers in open water (it shouldn't, but it happens) and when they went back to find them, I'm not kidding, they hit one of the ladies and took her foot off with the prop.
"Rescue Certified?" "Experienced?" I'm sorry. I forgot my log book. I'm cool. Let's go.
Having been on the receiving end of unsubstantiated accusations of an improper death, I understand how something like this can get directed toward an innocent. I am somewhat skeptical of the man’s guilt.
I read a prior account of his incident; I don’t recall the exact location, but it may have been on the FOX website. It mentioned that what first aroused suspicions among Australian investigators was that the groom changed key details in his story. Fwiw.
There's a lot of dumb women out there. I can say that because I'm a woman. I was married once and divorced in '78. Raised my two sons alone. Even now, my sons have no idea where their father is. I found out by accident several years ago, that he had moved out of state when I took my car into a Midas Muffler, and they pulled his name up on the database. He'd never bothered to contact our sons. I've never been sorry I divorced him, or that I never married again. Fortunately, I learned a long time ago that I'd rather live alone and be happy, than live with someone and be totally miserable.
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