Shirley McGill
Cruise Ship Passenger Murdered
Carnival Cruise Lines' Elation - July 14, 2009
When Carnival Cruise Lines' Elation cruise ship left San Diego on Saturday July 11, 2009 around supper time, nobody knew that not all the passengers would return alive.
If passengers had contemplated the issue, they might guess that somebody would die of old age, heart failure, a terrible accident or maybe from going overboard either accidentally or with intent. None would have guessed a murder would have taken place aboard while the ship was returning to San Diego from Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Yet that is exactly what happened.
Shirley McGill, 55, from Winnetka, California is reported to have been cruising to Mexico on the 5-night-cruise when she and her husband Robert McGill argued in their cabin.
Shirley McGill
Date: July 14, 2009
Bruise: Death
Bruise Location: Off Mexico
Age: 55
Home Town: Winnetka, California
Cruise Line: Carnival Cruise Lines
Ship: Carnival Elation
Details:
After gaining some preliminary facts, the FBI took Robert McGill into custody. The ship returned to San Diego around 0630 hours on Thursday, July 16th, the body was removed, and the FBI CSI team began collecting more evidence from what is described as "the crime scene".
The coroner has reported that Shirley McGill was beaten to death and strangled around approximately 1830 hours. This was a murder of intense rage. The condition of her husband's hands when he was arrested, indicated she fought him hard before her death.
This fact alligns with the FBI affidavit in the case that says, "Defendant Robert McGill stated he killed his wife in the bathroom of their cabin with his bare hands," said a criminal complaint filed by FBI Special Agent James B. Stinnett.
Robert McGill, a guitar player in his spare time, had worked as a teacher. His last assignment was tutoring pregnant teenagers. Those who knew him through his work thought of him as a "free thinker", a term that has been associated with other long-haired baby boomers, like McGill.
Robert McGill and Shirley McGill had originally met in high school. After many years without contact, had reunited, became friends again and then married in 2003.
Shirley McGill had worked for many years at the California Department Of Motor Vehicles and had retired shortly before the cruise. There was much to celebrate on this cruise, a retirement and two birthdays. Yet, the celebration took a turn for the worst.
Though McGill plead "not guilty" at his arraignment, he was overheard in the court room saying something to the effect of, "That's putting more financial burden on top of the pain and horror that I've caused this family.", as he spoke to his lawyers.
This case is a reminder that many have gone missing on cruise ships, and not all of them are jumpers or accidents. Had this body gone overboard, it would be another one of those "there is no proof foul play resulting in passenger death has ever taken place on a cruise ship" mantras we hear so much from the pro-cruise industry die-hards.
Winnetka, California population 44,0000, is a suburb of Los Angeles, California, located just north of Santa Monica.
Ship's security was called around 2100 hours on the evening of Tuesday, July 14, 2009, indicating a woman may be dead in the McGill cabin.
When security arrived at the cabin, Mrs. McGill was found to be dead in the shower, her husband was not in the cabin at the time, was located and then detained in the ship's make-shift jail and the FBI was notified.
Mrs. McGill was celebrating her 55th birthday on the cruise as was her husband. She had turned 55 on July 8, 2009, only three days before embarking on her cruise.
The FBI, including over one dozen special agents, boarded a United States Coast Guard cutter and were taken to meet the Elation at sea.
Robert McGill is taken into custody by FBI aboard Carnival Elation
Robert McGill is the son of Robert George McGill who worked as an English school teach at Claremont High School. The elder McGill passed away in September 2006. The family was originally from Minnesota.
A detention hearing in the case was set for Thursday, July 23, 2009 with a preliminary hearing on Thursday, July 30, 2009.
Still in prison for the murder of his wife aboard a cruise ship out of California is former California doctor Scott Roston who murdered his wife Karen Roston on their honeymoon cruise.
Roston dumped the body overboard, hoping the body would never be found. However the body was found floating at sea soon after, and along with evidence of foul play found aboard the cruise ship, the FBI was able to get a conviction for the murder. Roston claimed Israeli spies murdered his wife and framed him for her death.
One month ago a woman celebrating her 50th birthday went missing off the Carnival Holiday. Her body has not been found.
