Full Answer
Who is'the Honeymoon Killer'?
What happened to the honeymoon killer? Tina Watson was a 26-year-old American woman from Helena, Alabama, who died while scuba diving in Queensland, Australia, on 22 October 2003. Tina had been on her honeymoon with her new husband, fellow American Gabe Watson, who was initially charged by Queensland authorities with his wife's murder.
Who is'Honeymoon Killer'Gabe Watson?
10/01/2022 · 2nd of February, 2012 — In a ruling on Feb. 23, Gabe Watson, the 34-year-old Alabama man dubbed "the honeymoon murderer" when his wife died while on their scuba-cruise honeymoon, was found not guilty of murder and had the murder case against him dropped by a court in Birmingham, Ala.
What was the name of the woman who died on honeymoon?
01/03/2012 · Mar. 2, 2012— -- On Feb. 23 Gabe Watson, the 34-year-old Alabama man some called "the honeymoon killer" after his wife died on their scuba-cruise honeymoon, had the murder charge against him ...
Was the Great Barrier Reef Honeymoon Dive killer a US kill plot?
13/11/2018 · In the courts of Australia, honeymoon killer David Watson pled guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Once he was released, he moved back to his home state of Alabama, where once again, he stood trial for murder.
What happen to Gabe Watson?
In May of 2009, Gabe finally sent back to Australia to stand trial. He agreed to go after making a deal they would drop the case from murder to manslaughter. At his trial, he was convicted of manslaughter and given a sentence of 4 and a half years but the judge ending up suspending it to 12 months.
What is the honeymoon killer doing now?
An American man known as the honeymoon killer has been released from an Australian jail. Gabe Watson was jailed for the manslaughter of his wife while scuba diving during their honeymoon on the Great Barrier Reef. The bubblewrap salesman is now in the custody of immigration officers.11-Nov-2010
What really happened to Anni Dewani?
Following a long legal battle, Shrien was extradited from the UK to South Africa to face trial. He was acquitted by a Western Cape High Court in December 2014....Murder of Anni Dewani.Anni DewaniCause of deathGunshot to neckBody discoveredLingelethu West, South Africa 34°03′01″S 18°39′23″ENationalitySwedishOccupationEngineer4 more rows
Is the honeymoon killer a true story?
Based on the true story about Tina Thomas Watson, a twenty-six-year-old from Alabama, who died while on her honeymoon.
Is Gabe Watson married?
Tina Watsonm. 2003–2003Gabe Watson/Spouse
Is Shrien Dewani married now?
Anni Dewanim. 2010–2010Shrien Dewani/Spouse
What happened to the husband of Anni?
In December 2014, all the charges against Shrien Dewani were dropped, and he walked free (via The Guardian). ... The reveal angered Anni's parents when they learned that the couple vacationed in Mumbai, India — the very same locale where their daughter married Shrien.05-Nov-2021
How safe is South Africa?
South Africa has a high level of crime, including rape and murder. The risk of violent crime to visitors travelling to the main tourist destinations is generally low. The South African authorities prioritise protecting tourists and tourism police are deployed in several towns and cities.
What did Qwabe and Mbolombo change their story to?
Facing life in prison, Qwabe and Mbolombo later changed their stories to allege the crime had been a premeditated murder for hire at the behest of Anni's husband Shrien Dewani.
Where did Anni Hindocha get married?
Marriage. Anni Hindocha met Shrien Dewani in London in 2009; they maintained a long-distance relationship until Hindocha moved to the UK in March 2010, where they became engaged in May that year. The couple, whose relationship was sometimes troubled, married at Lake Powai near Mumbai, India, on 29 October 2010.
Who was Shrien Dewani?
Shrien Dewani. Anni Ninna Dewani ( née Hindocha; 12 March 1982 – 13 November 2010) was a Swedish woman of Indian origin who was murdered while on her honeymoon in South Africa after the taxi in which she and her husband were travelling was hijacked. Arrests were made in the days following the crime; hijackers Mziwamadoda Qwabe and Xolile Mngeni, ...
Did Mngeni have an alibi?
Despite having admitted to his role in the robbery and kidnapping of Anni Dewani in a videotaped confession, Mngeni pleaded not guilty at the start of his 2012 trial, saying he had an alibi and was not at the scene of the crime.
What happened to Anni Dewani?
An episode of the BBC television documentary series Panorama in March 2012 reported that the original South African post-mortem report showed the bullet that killed Anni Dewani had passed through her left hand followed by her chest, and that the wound on her neck was an exit wound.
When was Monde Mbolombo arrested?
Monde Mbolombo was arrested in the early hours of Thursday 18 November 2010 as a result of Qwabe providing his name to the police.
Who was robbed of his wallet and phone?
Shortly after they had turned off the main road, two armed men hijacked the vehicle. After driving a short distance, Tongo was ejected from the taxi. Shrien Dewani was robbed of his money, wallet, designer watch and mobile telephone, and after being driven for about 20 minutes, he was also ejected from the vehicle.
Why was Gabe indicted?
The Alabama grand jury indicted him for "murder for pecuniary gain and kidnapping where a felony occurred". He stood trial in 2012, nine years after Tina's death, and to the shock of Tina's family, when Gabe's defense attorney requested that the charges be dropped due to lack of evidence, the judge concurred.
What happened to David Watson?
In the courts of Australia, honeymoon killer David Watson pled guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Once he was released, he moved back to his home state of Alabama, where once again, he stood trial for murder. In the end, the scuba diving murder went unresolved in the American justice system, ...
How long were Tina and Dave Watson married?
Photo: ABC News / YouTube. Tina and Dave Watson were married for only 11 days before she tragically died. An autopsy was conducted on Tina's body after the incident. The pathologist found that she had suffered an air embolism that led to her drowning.
Who is Gabe Watson?
Gabe Watson was an experienced diver who had also been certified "as an open water scuba diver, an advanced diver, rescue diver, and specialty diver.". This contradicts his story that he was shocked and unable to react properly when his new wife knocked his diving mask off of his face while in a state of panic.
Was Tina Watson killed?
The case quickly hit the media, particularly after Gabe was arrested on suspicion of having murdered his new wife. Although the death of Tina Watson was ruled a drowning by an Australian pathologist, it was unclear whether or not it was an accident. In the courts of Australia, honeymoon killer David Watson pled guilty to manslaughter ...
What happens when you dive too fast?
When scuba diving, either holding your breath for too long or heading to the surface of the water too quickly can cause the lung's air sacs to rupture, which causes the emboli to form. The pathologist concluded that this was what happened to Tina Watson.
Who played Tina Watson in Fatal Honeymoon?
Called Fatal Honeymoon, it starred Harvey Keitel, Amber Clayton, and Billy Miller. The latter two played versions of Tina and Gabe Watson, and the movie covered their wedding, Tina's death, and Gabe's court cases. The movie aired on Lifetime in 2012, and reportedly neither Gabe nor Tina's parents watched it or had any comment on the portrayal.
Why is the dive computer important?
The dive computer is considered key by the prosecution to prove its case that Watson lied to investigators after Tina Watson, his wife of 11 days, drowned while on their honeymoon. The dive computer, which looks like a large watch, tracks a swimmer's dive.
What happened to Tina Watson?
Tina Watson panicked, her husband contends. When he went to help her, she accidentally knocked off his mask. By the time he fixed his mask, she has sunk out of his reach, his lawyer says. A fellow diver who took an underwater picture captured an image of Tina Watson lying prone on the ocean floor.
How old is Gabe Watson?
By the time he recovered, he said his wife had sank beyond his reach. But prosecutors elicited testimony today that Gabe Watson, now 34, was certified as an open water scuba diver, an advanced diver, rescue diver and specialty diver.
Who was the Honeymoon Killer?
That picture has become an emotional icon in Tina Watson's October 2003 death in waters off Australia which resulted in Gabe Watson being dubbed the "honeymoon killer.". Watson, now 34 and remarried, teared up at one point during today's hearing as his interview with Australian police recounting how his wife died.
Why was Watson deported to Alabama?
After his release, he was deported to Alabama on the condition that he would not be sentenced to death if found guilty of murder.
What did Williams find in Tina Watson?
Williams found florid evidence of air embolism, but no degenerative disease. He gave the cause of death as drowning. Due to the unexpected nature of Tina's death and the implausible and conflicting statements given by Watson, the death was investigated by the State Coroner's office.
How long was Watson's sentence suspended?
Penalty. 4.5 years, to be suspended after 1.5 years. After resisting extradition for six months, Watson travelled voluntarily from the U.S. to Australia in May 2009 to face trial. At the trial on 5 June 2009, he pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to, and was convicted of, manslaughter.
Where was Tina Watson born?
Christina Mae "Tina" Watson (birth name unknown) was born in West Germany on 13 February 1977, before relocating to the U.S. while still a baby. On 24 January 1980, she was legally adopted by Tommy and Cindy Thomas. They lived in Walker County, Alabama, with her younger sister before moving to Louisiana then Birmingham.
Who is Gabe Watson?
Gabe Watson. Charges. Murder. Convictions. Manslaughter (Australia) Tina Watson was a 26-year-old American woman from Helena, Alabama, who died while scuba diving in Queensland, Australia, on 22 October 2003. Tina had been on her honeymoon with her new husband, fellow American Gabe Watson, who was initially charged by Queensland authorities ...
Did Watson's story contradict his dive computer?
During the inquest, prosecutors submitted evidence that Watson's story contradicted the record of his actions stored by his dive computer. They suggested the possibility that he turned off Tina's regulator and held her until she was unconscious, then turned the air back on and let her sink before surfacing himself.
What did Tina Watson's family say about Watson's trial?
Tina's family stated that Watson's twelve-month term was an embarrassment to Australia. The day following the trial, Alabama Attorney General Troy King lodged an appeal with the Queensland Supreme Court and also wrote to Queensland Attorney-General Cameron Dick.
Overview
Tina Watson was a 26-year-old American woman from Helena, Alabama, who died while scuba diving in Queensland, Australia, on 22 October 2003. Tina had been on her honeymoon with her new husband, fellow American Gabe Watson, who was initially charged by Queensland authorities with his wife's murder. Watson pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to a term of imprisonment.
Background
Christina Mae "Tina" Watson (birth name unknown) was born in West Germany on 13 February 1977, before relocating to the U.S. while still a baby. On 24 January 1980, she was legally adopted by Tommy and Cindy Thomas. They lived in Walker County, Alabama, with her younger sister before moving to Louisiana then Birmingham. David Gabriel "Gabe" Watson met Tina while they were students at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and they began dating in January 20…
Incident
At around 10:30 am on 22 October, during an excursion from the dive boat Spoilsport to the site of Yongala, Tina lost consciousness and sank to the bottom, 30 metres (98 ft) below the water's surface within two minutes of beginning the dive. Watson claimed the currents were stronger than they expected and that he responded to a signal from Tina to return to the dive rop…
Investigation
The day following the death, Tina's autopsy was performed by Professor David Williams, consultant forensic pathologist to the Queensland Coroner. Williams found florid evidence of air embolism, but no degenerative disease. He gave the cause of death as drowning. Due to the unexpected nature of Tina's death and the implausible and conflicting statements given by Watson, the death was investigated by the State Coroner's office. A coronial inquirywas held, as is the usual practic…
Indictment
On 19 June 2008, the Coroner laid the following charge:
That on the 22nd day of October 2003 at the site of the historical shipwreck Yongala forty-eight nautical miles south east from the port of Townsville in the state of Queensland, David Gabriel Watson murdered Christina Mae Watson.
It was reported that the Coroner found "it was likely that Watson had killed his 26-year-old wife b…
Trial and sentence in Australia
After resisting extradition for six months, Watson travelled voluntarily from the U.S. to Australia in May 2009 to face trial. At the trial on 5 June 2009, he pleaded not guilty to murder and guilty to, and was convicted of, manslaughter. Crown prosecutorBrendan Campbell pointed out that over time Watson had given police sixteen different versions of what had happened to Tina and that none of those versions matched what the only eyewitness had seen. When Tina was brought to t…
Further incidents
Tina was buried in her native Pelham, Alabama. Her remains were exhumedin 2007 and moved to a different lot bought by Watson. After being informed by her family that flowers and gifts were repeatedly being vandalized or disappearing from the grave site, even when chained down, police surveillance videos showed Watson removing them with bolt cutters and throwing them in trash cans. Watson later said he removed them because they were "big, gaudy, plastic arrangements". …
Trial in United States
In May 2010, King announced he had information not yet made public and wanted to try Watson for capital murder, asserting jurisdiction based on the theory that the alleged crime was planned in Alabama. King petitioned Australia for the evidence held by police, but was refused access until he gave an undertaking that the death penalty would not be imposed, as required under Australian law. This condition has been strongly criticised by King and Don Valeska, chief of the Attorney G…