Oprah today: The missing groom's wife speaks

[RadioNate]

I have a different take on it too. I found her believable. Actually, my dh did too (my dh watched Oprah! LOL!). My dh came up with a pretty good theory that she was date rape drugged and maybe her dh was trying to protect her, caught them in the act and they killed him. Just a theory. As for not talking to her in-laws, I think they are not talking to her. They want answers and she doesn't have any. They seem to be focusing their anger and blame all on her. She also said "George IS athletic" "George doesn't bounce into walls" like he's still here. I wonder if she's in a bit of denial herself.

I had the same impression as your DH. I think that is what happened. And why she doesn't remember.

I noticed her talking about him in the present tense too. I think she's in deep denial/PTSD.

 

[Honu]

I recently read the press release from RCCL on this. Their version is certainly more plausible than hers. I don't know if she is involved, but IMO it does not appear she is telling the truth.

Sorry, it's not normal to sleep in other people's cabins while on your honeymoon. It's not a normal reaction, even with a really bad hangover, to wake up alone after having a fight with your husband and not be concerned about where he spent the night.

She claims she can't remember anything, except that she had a spa appointment to get to.

 

[Linnie The Pooh]

I saw most of this show and actually have a more favorable view of her than before. I was under the impression from the media that they were drunk and partying the whole time. From the friend in the audience and her own account, it sounds like they drank socially only and not to the point of drunkeness - very different from my previous understanding.

But Oprah and Gayle pointed out several times that there are lots of witnesses from the cruise who state that they were both really drunk, arguing with each other, him calling her names and she kicking him in the groin. So I wonder about their state of drunkeness. I'm not saying she's one, but I know plenty of alcoholics who state they only drink socially. Most people don't fess up to having a serious alcohol problem. So I guess I'm not too willing to accept her word on that.

I went on a cruise several years ago and if I'd woken up without DH, I would've been upset and looking for him-not making sure I made it to my massage appointment. We partied it up real good on our cruise, but I didn't black out or anything. I'm wondering if she was drugged as other posters are saying. Tonight I saw a rape victim on t.v. and she said she was given a date rape drug and remembers only the next 10 minutes after she'd drank the drink with the drug in it. It sounds a lot like Jennifer's situation-not remembering anything.

I guess if I was Oprah or Gayle, I would've asked her if she had a raging hangover. If I drink a lot, I can't function the next day-especially if I've only had 4 hours of sleep or whatever. I'm sick and in bed til well into the afternoon. As much as it sounds like she drank, she should've been pretty hung over, but I haven't heard anything about that. The whole situation is so sad and upsetting. I really don't think Jennifer had anything to do with his death-I can't imagine what the motivation would be-insurance money? The show definitely focused on her and her treatment-I wanted to shout, "Enough already!! Move on to something else!!" I thought the RCC guy was very decent.

 

[lillygator]

I too am one that believes she was involved or knows a little more than she is telling....

I mean what honeymooning couple would spend time apart like that? Sorry but my gosh, I tried to shake DH many a time on our Disney cruise in December and I couldn't get rid of him! But when we honeymooned.......oh my - I can't believe we even saw Jamaica!

 

[2BigKIdz]

If she was not extremely drunk or drugged, why would she be passed out in the hallway on the opposite side of the ship and require a wheelchair to take her to her room?

I have only seen a reenactment of the events on tv and found their whole honeymoon to be very strange. They spent a lot of time partying and gambling with those men, and in this reenactment she was "very friendly" with those men. If my husband spent the night elsewhere while on a cruise, even now after we have been together 16 years, it would be a big deal, but she's on her honeymoon and it's okay for him to stay with "friends"? Maybe they were swingers and this was normal behavior for them, it's just really odd to me.

Have they released any information as to the blood being matched to Mr. Smith?

IMO she is involved in some way or atleast knows what/why this happened.

 

[Nancy]

As far as not wondering where her husband was the next morning...I have to admit that I like to sleep in and my husband is an early riser. When we cruise (and we've been on over 20), it's not unusual for him to get up and eat breakfast without me. He does, however, usually leave me a note. Plus, I've always fallen asleep next to him!

The whole story is strange and just doesn't add up.

But if you were on your honeymoon would that have happened? Plus on Oprah.com, one of the posters said it was supposed to be a couples massage. I could see where she thought he went to the massage without her, but when she saw he wasn't there she still had hers and didn't wonder about where he might be? I'd be concerned even now after 20 years of marriage, not just a few days.

There are so many things that might have happened, I didn't see the show I'm just basing my thought I what I have read on here and Oprah.com

 

[Tuffcookie]

I just caught a bit of the Oprah show today. However, in light of several incidences where people have come up missing on cruise ship, don't you think it would be a good idea for the cruise ship companies to install surveillance cameras in various locations throughout the ship? I mean, it could solve or cut down on all sorts of crimes. Just a thought.

TC

 

[bettyann29]

I remember hearing about this when it first happened and the whole thing sounded weird.. It was like everything just didnt fit.. It makes me think maybe she knows more than shes letting on..

 

[DawnCt1]

Darn, I really wanted to see it but we had an 18 hour power failure. I am glad to have the power back on. Some areas of our state may take up to four days.

 

[Mermaid02]

I found her pretty believable. For one thing- she spoke of him in the present tense... if she KNEW he was dead usually people slip up and saw "he WAS" this or that.

I think someone slipped her the date rape drug- maybe even some crew members. Maybe he was slipped it too but because of his size came out of it before they wanted him to and so they disposed of him. I would seriously be looking at crew members as well as their new "friends" on the ship. As someone else said, if she was that drunk she would have slept longer and been pretty useless when she did wake up. She admitted to drinking, but not drinking heavily as someone posted.

It's all speculation of course.

 

[stemikger]

Originally posted by Vettechick99
What do you think about her appearance today? I just don't get her. I'm trying my best not to judge, but I'm so perplexed about her behavior that night. She winds up passed out in a hallway, far away from her room, gets put to bed and wakes up fresh 4 hours later remembering her massage appointment? No "where is my brand new husband"? No "why didn't he come home"? No "should I go look for him"? She had a sexy Swedish masseuse and some hot stones on the brain!

I totally agree with the above. Also, if you didn't remember anything, wouldn't you ask the doctor on board to give you a blood test. A normal person would automatically suspect that they were drugged.

 

[AMcaptured]

I saw it and I thought the girl was clueless about so many things. First, she was in TURKEY, Aruba can't even handle a missing teen case what makes anyone believe that Turkey can handle a blood stain and missing person case on a cruise ship. Second, why didn't Oprah have any witnesses that stated to authorities that the couple was yelling and drunk earlier in the night? For some reason, "smart" Oprah seems to believe anything Gayle "her best friend" tells her and Oprah said to Gayle, " you believe her?" and Gayle said "yes" so Oprah just believed the wife because Gayle said she did and kept on telling the RCCL president that his company handled the situation wrong. I actually thought Oprah was WAY to sympathetic to the wife.

Also, the wife was VERY blonde when she was on her honeymoon and yesterday she was a much darker blonde. Now that may not mean much to some people but when "normal" people become media stars, they always seem to have a make over that makes them seem "more" believable. Remember Amber Frey??? Well I think there is more going on here than meets the eyes and I do believe that the wife's attitude of "what about me" I was left alone with the rep, not a security guard? Why did I have to pay my way home? I deserved more, etc was SO fatiguing. She was in Turkey and it might not have been her original port of disembarkation but it wasn't as if the ship was taking her back to NY, she must have had a return ticket from somewhere in Europe......Also, why would she need security to protect her and take her to the airport? That statement made me wonder, perhaps subconsciously she was admitting that she knew foul play happened to her husband and was afraid the same fate would happen to her.

Finally, the fact his parents won't deal with her says a lot to me, they seemed like very straightforward, concerned parents. They seem concerned about their son and brother while the wife seems concerned about her airline ticket and security.

JMO

 

[beattyfamily]

After watching the show, I believe the wife is totally innocent. I believe her. She took a lie detector test and passed it with flying colors.

She was told by the FBI not to give out certain information. The inlaws are upset with her and not talking to her, not the other way around.

She admitted to drinking some but not enough to be that out of it. Both her and DH were so out of it they were escorted to their rooms, seperately. Neighbors heard MEN yelling and banging going on. By the time the wife was brought to the room, it was all quiet.

There are cameras in the hallways. I believe the cruise ship knows she's innocent because of the video tapes. The President even said he and the cruise line are certain she is innocent.

I think she and her DH were drugged by someone they befriended for some reason; either robbery, hatred, rape, who knows.

I will not judge her for how she was behaving on Oprah, 6 months after it happened. I don't know how I'd behave if this happened to me.

She said when she woke up, she just thought her DH was at the appointment. She didn't wake up with her detective hat on. She didn't realize he was missing. I believe her.

Oprah show didn't cover quite a bit though, like other people they hung out with or that saw them. The men they befriended. I think Oprah should have had more witnesses on to have a better picture of all the evidence.

I also cannot believe they scrubbed the blood away BEFORE the FBI could see it. That's a big shame.

It's so so sad all the way around.

 

[vettechick99]

Also, why would she need security to protect her and take her to the airport? That statement made me wonder, perhaps subconsciously she was admitting that she knew foul play happened to her husband and was afraid the same fate would happen to her.

Excellent point! She even said that for the first few days, she and her family were under the impression it was accidental, not homicidal. Why need two security officers? Didn't her family come get her? What was she so scared of?

She said when she woke up, she just thought her DH was at the appointment. She didn't wake up with her detective hat on. She didn't realize he was missing. I believe her.

I believe she said when she woke up, she assumed he stayed with friends that night, not that he was already at the appt. These "friends" being people they met just days ago.

If we believe her story, her actions are speaking volumes. She got to the appointment, he wasn't there and she made no attempts to cancel the appt and go looking for him. Security had to pull her out of the spa. That's just too weird for me. The only other way I can explain her actions is if she had been drugged and isn't herself. Well when I find out my new husband is missing/dead, that's the first thing I'd tell the police.

I like the theory of them both being drugged and assaulted, he was killed and thrown overboard and she was dumped off far away from her room. She might not have any remembrance of the occurances that night, but wouldn't you physically feel if an assault had happened? I just know that if I ever woke up in a hallway of a hotel or cruiseline, the first thing I would think is assault, whether I remember something or not.

And what about this survivor's guilt? I thought people mostly felt that when they see someone die in front of them, or they just narrowly skirted death. Why didn't he kill me? Why didn't I die in that crash? I may be way off, but that statement struck me as odd.

There is much more to this story than we know.

 

[MickeysMommy]

I'm sorry. But something is with that girl. Who the heck spends most of their honeymoon away from each other? At different areas of the cruise ship? And, I completely agree with all of you who stated it was all about me, me, me. She kept bringing up "Marie" who was in guest relations and how she gave her magazines and CD's to keep her calm. And, why would she do that to her. Well, I'm sure anyone in Marie's shoes would try her best to keep her calm. How many of us are in that situation? And, then she brought up the fact that the cruise line sent her a bill. Why did they do that? Well, I'm sure that is automated. I don't think they intentionally sent her a bill. It was all about why did they have to still pay for the cruise.

Something really fishy with that girl.

 

[DwarfMaster]

I can't believe I missed Oprah I've been trying to follow this story from the beginning.

I have to agree with the theory that she was drugged. But her behavior has just been bizarre the whole time. Something just doesn't add up. Maybe she's ashamed or embarrased about something that happened and doesn't want the truth to get out.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Maybe she's ashamed or embarrased about something that happened and doesn't want the truth to get out.

I'm thinking that too, with the behavior that has been reported. But I don't think that she knows what happened to her husband, and I don't think she's involved.

I think a lot of people meet others on cruise ships and become good friends. A friend of mine and her DH met another couple on a honeymoon cruise, and hung out with them all the time. AFter the cruise, the other couple would come and spend some weekends at their house (they lived a distance apart), and then they moved here.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I didn't see the show...but just wanted to weigh in on a how a honeymooning couple could act like this.

DH and I cruised on DCL for our honeymoon. The other couple we were sitting with were also on their honeymoon. They made us sooo uncomfortable. They disagreed with each other, they were snarky to each other, it didn't sound like they did much together, she had drank so much one day she left dinner to go get sick and she never came back. He didn't go looking for her either. Soooo who knows. Just cuz it was a honeymood did not mean they were a "happily ever after" couple.

I also think there is more to the story, and wouldn't be surprised if there was a date rape drug involved. And sadly, she may not feel it if she was assaulted. She was passed out, there would have been no resistance. And if a condom was used, there would not be any evidence either.

 

[Shelby5514]

I agree, something just isn't adding up.



She was too calm when re-living those moments and only seemed to get emotional when the subject turned to how she was treated by RCC.

 

[vettechick99]

Just cuz it was a honeymood did not mean they were a "happily ever after" couple.

But she said they were the "happily ever after" couple. Actually, when she described their relationship, it reminded me of my own. We also met 3 years ago, love at first site, moved in with each other quickly and got married this year. Even though DH and I were attached at the hip, but I don't expect every couple to be like that on their honeymoon. But I would assume they would at least sleep in the same rooom together! Not to mention a little worried when the other isn't accounted for the next day.

Fishy is right! I would love to hear the truth for a change.