Ledger DC Journal - News, Politics & Crime

Daniel Gabriel Watson is accused of murdering his wife of 11 days, Christina Mae Watson in October 2003 and now Australian prosecutors have filed an indictment. She died while diving on a shipwreck near the northeastern Australian city of Townsville while her husband looked on, reports the UK Times.

Drowned Bride Mystery (Photos) An Ocean Dive and a Watson Indictment

The paper adds that he was an experienced diver who had completed a diving rescue course and was acting as a “dive buddy” for his wife, who was a novice. The Canadian Press said the man told police she panicked underwater and then sank away from him. He said he decided to go for help rather than following her to the sea floor but attempts to resuscitate her failed.


The Times reports that police believe that Mr Watson turned off the air supply of his wife until she was dead, or nearly dead, then turned it back on and let her sink to the seabed. They have photos here of the incident as one of the other divers had an underwater camera and was busy snapping photos. One of the snaps shows Christina Watson lying motionless on the sea floor as a diver unwittingly poses for a photo.

According to the Canadian Press, "Justice Keiran Cullinane said Friday that Watson was required to appear in court on Feb. 3, 2009, to answer the indictment but noted that he had no power to force the American to return to Australia."