Tina Watson
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Christina "Tina" Thomas Watson, 26 years old, is an American from Alabama who died in a scuba diving accident on her honeymoon in Queensland, Australia in 2003. She had only been married 10 days.
[change] Media attention
The story has received a lot of media attention. There were other divers nearby at the time, including one diver who photographed Watson by chance while taking a picture of another diver on holiday. This picture revealed Tina when she was on the bottom of the sea. This wasn't revealed until a couple of weeks later when the pictures were developed. Investigators are still uncertain if Tina is dead already in the image or if she is still struggling to survive.
This story was featured in a 90-minute documentary that aired on Dateline NBC on Monday May 19, 2008. [1]
[change] Investigations
As of January 2008, this tragic event is still under investigation due to conflicting statements that have been given by her husband on several occasions. Tina's husband David Gabriel "Gabe" Watson has not returned to Australia since the event, nor did he testify during the inquest. He also claimed hundreds of thousands of dollars in insurance money from her death, citing "mental anguish," until he was named as a possible murder suspect. In March 2005, Mr. Watson launched legal action in Alabama's Jefferson County Circuit Court to recoup the cost of their trip after the travel insurance company refused a payout. In court filings Mr Watson referred to the Australian investigation into his wife's death, which caused him "to reasonably apprehend that he risks self-incrimination in this case". Mr Watson's Australian legal team believed "it was not in his best interest" to pursue the damages claim. Mr. Watson's US-based lawyer, Bob Austin added that Mr. Watson would not be voluntarily "going back to Australia".
June 19, 2008, Townsville coroner David Glasgow ruled there is enough evidence to charge David Gabriel Watson with the murder of his wife and subsequently issued a warrant for his arrest and the extradition process begun.[2]
