Tina and Gabe Watson were married in Alabama in October 2003. After the wedding, they went honeymooning in Australia. Gabe, who was a certified diver and diving rescuer, wanted his new wife, Tina, to go diving with him.  Tina had prepared to dive with her new husband, taking lessons and investing in expensive diving equipment.
Tina drowned while on a dive with Gabe, in Queensland, Austrailia, on October 22, just days into their honeymoon. Gabe returned to the surface to get help for his new wife, leaving her behind at the bottom of the ocean.  Gabe’s behavior and his reaction to Tina’s death raised suspicions immediately. His story contradicted the record of actions stored in his dive computer. It was believed, with supporting evidence from the dive computer, that he turned off Tina’s air supply and held her until she was unconscious. Then, he let her sink to the bottom as he resurfaced. Tina’s father said his motive to kill was the insurance policy that Gabe had repeatedly asked Tina to increase the amount of and make Gabe the beneficiary.
Tina’s murder was a tragedy in so many ways.  She was young, vibrant, and just beginning her life as a newlywed.  Her family wasn’t exactly impressed with Gabe from the beginning of their relationship. They blamed Gabe for her death.  To fully understand what happened to Tina that day, we have contacted expert Michael McFadyen who has studied the full transcript of the Coroner’s Inquest into Tina’s death as well as all the evidence available to the Alabama State prosecutor and the defense in the 2012 trial.
In today’s True Crime Brewery, Underwater: The Mysterious Death of Tina Watson, we’re learning about Tina’s life, her relationship with Gabe Watson, the scuba diving incident that took her life, and the trials of Gabe Watson.