Husband ‘killed wife on cruise because she laughed at him’
A HUSBAND is accused of killing his wife on a cruise ship after she refused to stop laughing at him.
Kenneth Manzanares, 39, was found covered in blood on the 3,400-berth vessel owned by Princess Cruises.
Passengers said a murder mystery dinner was taking place at the time of the killing, leading some to believe it was a hoax. But security officials arrived to find 39-year- old Kristy Manzanares on the floor with a fatal head wound.
When asked what happened, Manzanares reportedly said: ‘She would not stop laughing at me.’
He then allegedly grabbed her body and tried to drag it to the balcony before he was stopped.
A security officer handcuffed Manzanares and detained him in a cabin.
The couple – from Utah – are believed to have been travelling with their chil- dren on the Emerald Princess that left Seattle on Sunday for a seven-day roundtrip cruise. The killing happened in waters off Alaska.
Thousands of passengers were kept on board while FBI officers investigated.
Manzanares made his first court appearance yesterday by conference call from Alaska’s capital Juneau, where he is in custody. He appeared to be crying before and during the hearing. The case was adjourned until August 10 with Manzanares remanded in custody.
He has no criminal history, according to online Utah court records.
Summit Sotheby’s, the Utah estate agency which employed his wife, said in a statement: ‘Kristy was a dedicated and loving mother who juggled her business schedule to make her children the top priority.’
California-based Princess Cruises said passengers would receive $150 in on-board credit because of the impact on their holidays. ‘You feel sorry for the family, but a lot of people had to wait,’ said a Canadian who was on board.