FBI: Man aboard Seattle-based cruise killed wife because she laughed at him

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A Utah man killed his wife aboard an Alaska cruise and told an acquaintance who later walked into the blood-splattered cabin that he did it because she would not stop laughing at him, the FBI said in documents released Thursday.

Princess Cruises said the woman died Tuesday night on the Emerald Princess, which was carrying 3,400 passengers and 1,100 crew members on a weeklong trip that left Sunday from Seattle.

Kenneth Manzanares was found in the couple's room on the ship Tuesday night with blood on his hands and clothes and blood spread throughout the cabin, according to a criminal complaint by FBI Special Agent Michael L. Watson.

The agency said the 39-year-old woman, identified only as K.M. by authorities, had a severe head wound but didn't reveal any other details about her death.

Before medical workers and security officers responded, a man and others went into the cabin and saw the woman on the floor covered in blood, according to court documents. Manzanares grabbed his wife's body and dragged her to the balcony before the man stopped him, Watson wrote.

A ship security officer handcuffed Manzanares in a nearby cabin, and he was taken into custody late Wednesday. The FBI is investigating because the death occurred in U.S. waters.

The employer of K.M. says she was a dedicated and loving mother who put her children ahead of her career in real estate. Summit Sotheby's International Realty says Kristy Manzanares was a trusted adviser and valued sales associate in the St. George, Utah, office.

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Princess Cruises said in a statement Thursday that passengers will receive $150 onboard credit because of the effect on their vacations. "You feel sorry for the family but a lot of people had to wait," said Lloyd Barrows, a passenger from Alberta, Canada.

The U.S. attorney's office announced it would hold a news conference with representatives of the FBI and Coast Guard on Thursday in Anchorage to announce federal charges against Manzanares.

Cox Media Group