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Tuesday night on MSNBC’s “Rita Cosby Live & Direct,” two noted forensic scientists offered insight into the disappearance of George Smith. Six months ago Smith, a honeymooner from Connecticut, disappeared from his cabin on deck nine of the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Brilliance of the Seas. Dr. Henry Lee (of O.J. Simpson fame) briefly discussed his forensic examination this past Monday of the cabin occupied by George and Jennifer Hagel Smith when they were passengers on this ship. Although understandably cryptic in what he was willing to tell the media, Dr. Lee did suggest that he found something of some significance, perhaps evidence of blood, or scratches or cuts on the metal awning. "I was devastated when I heard that. Devastated. Obviously, something really bad happened to my son," said George's mother, Maureen. The death of the businessman from Greenwich, Connecticut, came following a storybook wedding to his school teacher bride, Jennifer Hagel.
Memories of Jennifer
"And they told us that if Josh ever says anything that is different than what he said before the grand jury, anything, they will fly him back to Connecticut on perjury charges," Greer explained. "And having dealt with the FBI agents that we dealt with in the past and how miserable they made the Askin family's lives... I couldn't have that happen." Asked why not, Bree told Miller, "The blood is compelling evidence. ...There was blood in the room." "After about two minutes of the argument, we heard one lone male voice repeatedly saying, 'Goodnight, goodnight' ... like they were ushering someone out of the room," Hyman continued.
Remembering Erin Gilmour
A "48 Hours" investigation has uncovered failed polygraphs, questionable alibis and a provocative video made by some of the men just hours after George Smith disappeared. On July 5, it will be 10 years since George Smith disappeared from his honeymoon cruise. His family has been on a mission to find those responsible, but their long quest for justice is now in jeopardy. The investigation appears to have been over before it even started. Ship crew members never even called Smith’s cabin to make sure everyone was ok. The next morning, crews cleaned the blood off the awning with a high-pressure hose, never even telling Jennifer about the blood stains.
The Smith Family
"The ... FBI determined that there is not sufficient evidence to continue the investigation," Bree Smith said, reading the statement aloud. "I think it's another rubber-hose ploy, you know, where just to freak Josh out and upset him more," Greer told Miller. "I think it was just the psychological war that they were waging on him and his family. ... Or they didn't take the time to do it right, one or the other." A source close to the investigation has told CBS News that on the tape, one of the men -- Rusty Kofman -- refers to George going "parachute riding" off his balcony. It is not an admission, but it's at the very least provocative -- and there's more.
FBI closes probe of vanished cruise ship honeymooner
The one thing that was clear to Paul Kvitnisky that night, was that by the time the casino closed, both Jennifer and George were already drunk. "Everyone who was 18 pretty much congregated in the casino," Askin explained. And back on the ship, they socialized into the early morning hours. Bree remembers the day very well and how excited they were to go on their honeymoon. This photo was taken by the ship's safety officer upon entering the Smith cabin the morning of July 5, 2005.
Jones learned of a potentially damaging videotape made by some of these men just hours after George disappeared. On the tape, Jones says the three Russian-Americans are seen and heard making callous remarks about George's death and at the end Greg Rozenberg says "I told you I was gangsta." "I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that my son was murdered on that cruise ship," Maureen Smith, George's mother, told CBS News' 48 Hours. "We were told by the Connecticut FBI that there was not enough evidence to prove George had been murdered and that his death may have been the result of an accident," the Smith family wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday. The video only captures snippets of what has emerged over the years as a very complex story -- a story and a timeline that would be dissected and debated for years. As a group they tell Turkish police, "After we dropped him off, the second time, we closed the door, we never saw him again ... Never saw him again."
Timeline: The disappearance of George Smith - CBS News
Timeline: The disappearance of George Smith.
Posted: Sun, 05 Jul 2015 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Honeymooner's disappearance: Was it murder?
You can read about the dreams of young George taking over his father’s Cos Cob Liquor Store, juxtaposed with George’s alleged abuse of alcohol and misuse of prescription drugs during the ill fated cruise. There is an international treaty which exists called the Athens Convention which, if found applicable, would limit the cruise liability’s liability to only around $70,000. Not to mention the wicked "Death On The High Seas Act" which precludes damages other than financial compensation. $1,060,000 and a disclosure of information by the cruise line was a great resolution, notwithstanding such a terrible loss of a young man’s life.
DAVIE, Fla. – It has been more than 15 years since a Connecticut man named George Smith went overboard on a cruise ship. At the time, his death was considered suspicious and now the person who may have had answers about what happened on that ship has been murdered. The widow, Jennifer Hagel Smith, said her husband's family has refused to acknowledge the possibility that George Smith's intoxication from alcohol and prescription drugs may have been a factor in an accidental death. Instead, she said they have insisted Smith was a victim of foul play despite a lack of evidence.
One passenger even recounts hearing large objects like furniture being thrown across the room. Smith disappeared from Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas ship on July 5, 2005. Although his body was never recovered, bloodstains were found beneath the balcony of the cabin he was sharing with his new wife, Jennifer Hagel-Smith, who is now remarried.
This investigation has deteriorated into a she said (Jennifer Hagel Smith), they said (the cruise line) type of case. Jennifer has gone on national television recounting how she was mishandled by cruise line personnel. Cruise line defenders say that at the time they thought they had done what was needed to help Jennifer and to facilitate the investigation.
NEW HAVEN, Conn – The widow of a Connecticut man who disappeared during their honeymoon cruise said Friday that her husband had mixed prescription drugs with alcohol the night he vanished three years ago on the Mediterranean Sea. Cruise ship accidents, injuries, crimes, disappearances, fires, and collisions on the high seas involve issues of maritime law. Jim Walker graduated from law school in 1983 and has been handling maritime law cases for the past thirty-five years. He handles a wide variety of cases from serious injuries to the highest profile sexual assault and cruise crime cases. Five years ago yesterday, George Smith IV (below with his dad, George Smith III) disappeared from Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas cruise ship between Greece and Turkey.
"It's just a question of pulling together enough evidence to get an indictment and a conviction," he said. "I don't know why anybody's missin' the theme here. 'Cause there's one common element ... and it's too much alcohol!" he said. "And we can go and, you know, blame it on murder and - and -- and blame it on aggressive sexual behavior here. You know what? It's just everybody drinkin' too much and stupid stuff happening. That fits." Josh Askin's lawyer, Keith Greer, argues that it's all nothing more than speculation.
George and Jennifer met 20-year-old Josh Askin and his family on a tour of Florence, Italy. None of the men in the video have been charged and all say they had nothing to do with George Smith's death. The Smith family has offered a $100,000 reward for information leading directly to an arrest and conviction in the case.
The cruise line said his wife was found passed out on a floor far from their cabin. George Smith was on a honeymoon cruise aboard a Royal Caribbean ship in July 2005 when he vanished somewhere between Greece and Turkey. Michael Jones, a lawyer for Smith's family, said Sheeley's comments were not accurate, but declined to elaborate. He said Smith's family continues to believe he was a victim of foul play. "We are disappointed that she didn't fight for George how we fought for George," said Bree, George's sister. Bree and Maureen believe George was murdered in a robbery that got out of control.
"But it could have contributed to an accident that caused his death," he said. The conspiracy, Sheeley said, was that the Royal Caribbean cruise line was withholding information from the Smith family. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes.
After all, how many people were up and about the halls between 4 and 5 a.m. And the key cards would show who used a key to get into a state room at that time of the morning. Finally, there are witnesses, both eye and “ear,” on either side of the Smith’s cabin who either heard or saw some evidence of a possible argument or people leaving the cabin at that hour of the morning. The second forensic scientist to be interviewed on MSNBC Tuesday night was Dr. Lawrence Kobolinski (Dr. K). Dr. K offered his belief that the Smith’s cabin was indeed a crime scene and that Smith had been murdered. He based this on the amount of blood seen in the passenger’s photograph of the life boat cover, one that appears to show a significant amount of “red” on an otherwise white metal surface.
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