David Gabriel Watson was sentenced to 4-1/2 years in prison on Friday June 5, 2009, for causing the death of his wife while they were on their honeymoon in Australia six years ago. In a plea bargain, he will only serve one year for manslaughter, enraging Tommy Thomas, father of the deceased Tina Watson.
Thomas said, “I’m sure that the entire Australian nation as well as our country back home shares in the shock at what we’ve just seen, because it’s a total injustice…it’s ludicrous. It’s an embarrassment to everyone involved. We believe that Gabe Watson murdered our daughter.”
Christina Mae Watson died in 2003 as she and her new husband dove off the coast of Queensland. The couple, from Birmingham, Alabama, were married on October 11, 2003 and she died eleven days later, while they were on a Great Barrier Reef scuba diving honeymoon trip.
Gabe Watson told police that her death was an accident but coroner David Glasgow declared the death a murder in June 2008. The motive is believed to be her life insurance policy. The insurance provider verified that Watson had contacted them about collecting on the policy.
Another diver witnessed Watson giving his wife an underwater bear hug and then saw him come to the surface of the water while she sank to the ocean bottom. The suspect claimed she got into trouble and he decided to go for help rather than try to save his wife.
Authorities say that Gabe Watson is an experienced diver and they believe that he held his new bride underwater after shutting off her air supply.
More photos below.