Alaska Cruise Ship Killing: Utah Man Kills Wife For Laughing At Him, Authorities Say

ANCHORAGE, AK— A Utah man killed his wife aboard a cruise ship off the coast of Alaska and told an acquaintance who later walked into the blood-splattered cabin that he did it because she wouldn't stop laughing at him, authorities said.

Acting U.S. Attorney for Alaska Bryan Schroder said Thursday that Kenneth Manzanares was charged with murder after his wife, Kristy, was found dead with a severe head wound in their cabin aboard the Princess Cruises ship.

Kenneth Manzanares was found in the couple's room on the Emerald Princess on Tuesday night with blood on his hands and clothes and blood spread throughout the cabin, a criminal complaint by an FBI special agent said. A man entered the cabin and saw the woman on the floor covered in blood, court documents allege. Manzanares grabbed his wife's body and dragged her to the balcony before the witness stopped him, records show. (For more information on this and other Across Alaska stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

The Emerald Princess was on a weeklong trip that left Sunday from Seattle. The ship docked in Juneau, Alaska, on Wednesday morning. Passengers were kept aboard the ship for much of the day Wednesday.

The FBI is investigating. Manzanares is scheduled to appear in federal court by videoconference from Juneau later Thursday.

Utah court records show that he has no criminal history.

By BECKY BOHRER and RACHEL D'ORO, Associated Press

Photos credit: Becky Bohrer/Associated Press