A Utah man accused of killing his wife on a cruise to Alaska has been indicted on a murder count.
Kenneth Manzanares, 39, was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury in the death of Kristy Manzanares. The indictment was made public Thursday.
Kristy was found dead in a blood-splattered cabin last month on Princess Cruises ship that was diverted to Alaska’s capital city for the investigation.
Kenneth Manzanares, 39 (right), has been indicted in the murder in of his wife Kristy, 39, (left)
Kristy Manzanares, 39, of St George, Utah, was killed aboard a cruise ship off Alaska
The couple and their three daughters (pictured), between the ages of 13 and 22, were on board the ship as part of a family vacation last month
Federal authorities have led the investigation because the death occurred in U.S. waters.
Kristy, of St George, Utah was on a family vacation with her husband of 17 years and their three daughters – between ages 13 and 22 – when she was found murdered in her cabin last month.
Her husband, Kenneth was arrested and charged with her murder.
Authorities say that he killed Kristy on board the Emerald Princess because she would not stop laughing at him in front of their children.
‘Blood was spread throughout’ the room and was on ‘multiple surfaces,’ according to the court documents.
Security rushed to the family’s cabin after one of their children (pictured, with Kristy) ran out of it asking for help at 9pm
Security found Kristy (pictured) on with a severe head wound. She was pronounced dead 20 minutes later
The witness says that Kenneth tried to ‘grab [Kristy’s] body and drag her toward the balcony,’ but the witness intervened – grabbing ‘the ankles of [Kristy’s] body’ to pull her back into the cabin.
When asked by the witness what happened to his wife, Kenneth responded: ‘She would not stop laughing at me.’
Security found her in their room at 9pm with a severe head wound. She was pronounced dead 20 minutes later.
According to cruise ship staff, Manzanares had attempted to throw her body overboard.
The theme of the cruise was a murder mystery and staff said that they believed the grisly scene had been staged as part of it when they first arrived at the couple’s room.
In a previously filed affidavit, FBI Special Agent Michael Watson said witnesses saw Kenneth Manzanares with blood on his hands and clothing.
‘I see this little girl sitting on – I assume – her grandma or somebody, sitting on her lap wrapped in a blanket. And she’s just sobbing, Brian Eckstorm told KTUU.
‘A man came walking out from the hallway where it happened and he had, like, a white tank top on, and some jeans.
‘His jeans were completely covered in blood and he came out saying, ‘It’s not good, it’s not good,’ he added.
Kristy, a realtor with Sotheby’s in St George, is seen showing off a home in a video posting
Friends said that the couple were celebrating an anniversary on the ship
The cruise ship was diverted to Juneau so that federal investigators could board
Some passengers told Fox 13 that they heard two men and a woman fighting on their balcony, and then a woman screaming for her life.
‘People were running through the hall with blood all over them and trying to get security,’ passenger Megan Morr said.
Morr said that even the captain came on over the intercom, ordering crew to respond to the incident.
‘He was very worked up, he said, “Everyone, we need all medical, security, all personnel to deck 9 and deck 14.” And that scared me because I’m on deck 14,’ Morr said.
Manzanares was charged after being taken in to the custody of Alaskan authorities on Wednesday morning when the ship docked in Alaska.
According to police, during questioning he told them: ‘My life is over’.
The ship ended up docking in Juneau, Alaska so that FBI investigators could board. .
According to Manzanares’s social media profiles, she was a real estate agent with Sotheby’s in St George, Utah.
‘In her spare time, Kristy enjoys volunteering at local schools and is involved in the Jubilee of Trees as Tree Designer each year,’ her profile on the Summit Sotheby’s International realty site reads.
‘She loves cheering on her daughters at soccer games, spending time with extended family and is currently learning how to play golf with her husband.’
F. Richard Curtner, an attorney for Kenneth Manzanares, said he had no immediate comment on the case.