Husband Indicted for Wife's Cruise-Ship Murder: Source Says He Allegedly 'Snapped' at Divorce Talk
The Utah man accused of killing his wife during an apparent domestic dispute aboard an Alaska-bound cruise ship in July has been indicted for her murder, federal officials announced on Thursday.
Kenneth Manzanares is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Kristy Manzanares, 39, who was found in her cruise ship cabin dead with a severe head wound on July 25.
“Blood was spread throughout the room on multiple surfaces,” with Kenneth covered in blood, federal court documents obtained by PEOPLE state.
Kenneth was arrested by federal officials the following day. While being processed by FBI agents, he allegedly said, “My life is over.”
On Thursday, prosecutors announced that he had allegedly “willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation and malice aforethought” killed his wife.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, Kenneth allegedly told one witness in the immediate aftermath of the killing, “She wouldn’t stop laughing at me.”
Kristy and Kenneth, high school sweethearts, had been celebrating their wedding anniversary with their daughters and extended family on a week-long Princess Cruises voyage from Seattle to Alaska.
The ship had set sail from Seattle just two days before Kristy was killed, according to investigators.
Her slaying allegedly came after a night of marital tension between the couple that began when Kenneth became belligerent at dinner, a family source, who was not on the boat, previously told PEOPLE.
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“He had been acting terrible all night,” the source said, adding that at some point that evening, Kristy asked for a divorce. At that point, Kenneth allegedly “snapped” and killed her, the source said.
The couple’s apparent marital discord was news to the source, who said, “If they were having [marital issues] they never showed any of that to anyone else.”
Kristy’s cause of death has not yet been released, according to federal officials.
Her cousin Kasey Hunt told PEOPLE that Kristy “had a glow to her, and filled a room with life,” adding, “She was so damn nice to everyone, she was amazing.”
Kenneth has not yet entered a plea, according to the United States Attorney’s Office. The St. George News reported that he has no criminal history in Utah, according to state court records.
His attorney, Jamie McGrady, has declined comment to PEOPLE.
A GoFundMe page has been launched to help with the family’s expenses.
