Death of Tina Watson

Death of Tina Watson
Date22 October 2003 (2003-10-22)
Time11:27 a.m. (AEST; UTC+10:00)
LocationYongala wreck
Great Barrier Reef
Townsville, Queensland
Australia
Coordinates19°18′27″S 147°37′31″E / 19.30750°S 147.62528°E / -19.30750; 147.62528
ParticipantsTina Watson and Gabe Watson
OutcomeDeath by drowning
DeathsTina Watson
BurialSouthern Heritage Cemetery, Pelham, Alabama, U.S.
InquestTownsville
CoronerDavid Robert Glasgow
SuspectsGabe Watson
ChargesMurder
ConvictionsManslaughter (Australia)

Tina Watson was a 26-year-old American woman from Helena, Alabama, who died while scuba diving in Queensland, Australia, on 22 October 2003. Tina had been on her honeymoon with her new husband, American Gabe Watson, who was initially charged by Queensland authorities with his wife's murder. Watson pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to a term of imprisonment.

Evidence presented at the trial included Watson's differing accounts of what had happened on that day, of the couple's diving experience (or lack thereof), and of Tina's life insurance. While Watson was serving his term in Australia, authorities in Alabama flagged an intention to charge him with murder at a later date. After his release, he was deported to Alabama on the condition that he would not be sentenced to death if found guilty of murder. Watson was then put on trial, but on 23 February 2012, Judge Tommy Nail dismissed the murder case due to lack of evidence.