Cruise ship man killed wife who laughed at him - FBI

A man killed his wife aboard an Alaska cruise and told an acquaintance who walked into the couple's blood-splattered room that he did it because she laughed at him, the FBI has said.

Cruise ship man killed wife who laughed at him - FBI

A man killed his wife aboard an Alaska cruise and told an acquaintance who walked into the couple's blood-splattered room that he did it because she laughed at him, the FBI has said.

Kenneth Manzanares of Santa Clara, Utah, was charged with murder after he was found with blood on his hands and clothes and with blood spread throughout the cabin on the Princess Cruises ship on Tuesday night, according to a criminal complaint by the FBI's Special Agent Michael Watson.

His wife Kristy, 39, had a severe head wound, but authorities have not released other details in the case, including how many people were travelling with the couple on the 3,400-passenger Emerald Princess that left Seattle on Sunday.

A man and other people went into the room before medics and security officers arrived and saw the woman on the floor covered in blood, according to court documents.

The man asked Manzanares what happened, and the suspect said: "She would not stop laughing at me," according to the FBI complaint.

Manzanares then grabbed his wife's body and tried to drag it to the balcony, but the man stopped him, Mr Watson wrote. The name of the man was not included in the complaint.

A ship security officer handcuffed Manzanares, who was held in a nearby cabin, authorities said.

While the FBI searched him, Manzanares said: "My life is over," the complaint states.

Manzanares, 39, made his first court appearance on Thursday by teleconference from Alaska's capital Juneau, where he is in custody.

He appeared to be crying at times before the hearing and near the start, when US Magistrate Judge Kevin McCoy began speaking.

Manzanares dabbed at his eyes and nose with tissues.

He was wearing an orange jumpsuit during the proceedings, had his ankles shackled and wore slip-on shoes.

Bail has not been set and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for August 10.

Manzanares has no criminal history, according to online Utah court records.

Kristy Manzanares was a trusted adviser and valued sales associate, her employer said in a statement.

"Kristy was a dedicated and loving mother who juggled her business schedule to make her children the top priority," Summit Sotheby's International Realty in St George, Utah, said.

The ship was diverted to Juneau because of the investigation, which the FBI is leading because the death occurred in US waters. The ship docked Wednesday and passengers were kept on board for hours before it departed late that night for the town of Skagway.

California-based Princess Cruises said passengers would receive 150 dollars in on-board credit because of the effect on their holidays.

"You feel sorry for the family, but a lot of people had to wait," said Lloyd Barrows, a passenger from Alberta, Canada.

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