Its Been 9 Years Since George Smith IV Went Missing on his Honeymoon with Jennifer Hagel Smith Aboard the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line “Brilliance of the Seas” … CBS 48 HOURS: “Murder at Sea?” … $100,000 Reward (VIDEO)

It has been 9 years since George Smith IV went missing aboard the Royal Caribbean Cruise line “Brilliance of the Seas” … the mystery an unanswered questions continue.

It has been none years since George Smith IV went missing while on his honeymoon with  Jennifer Hagel Smith aboard the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line “Brilliance of the Seas”. Since that fateful day, July 5, 2005, George’s family, his parents George and Maureen and sister Bree, have fought to learn the truth of what happened the night that George Smith went missing. The Smith family is certain that it was no accident.  They appeared on CBS 48 Hours Saturday night, Maureen Smith said, “I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that my son was murdered on that cruise ship.” The family has renewed their push to solve the case, they are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading directly to the arrest and conviction of whoever was responsible for their son’s disappearance.

George’s sister Bree says it the best as she told ’48 Hours’, “I think the reward will propel people forward.”  People need to come forward and tell what they know and there needs to be justice.”

Nine years ago – July 5, 2005 – George Smith IV vanished from his honeymoon cruise in the Aegean Sea. His body has never been found.

Contrary to what authorities have said, his mother, Maureen Smith, is certain it was no accident.

“I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that my son was murdered on that cruise ship,” she tells CBS News’ 48 HOURS.

Now, in a renewed push to solve the case, the family of the Greenwich, Conn. man says they are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading directly to the arrest and conviction of whoever was responsible for their son’s disappearance

Watch the Full ’48 Hour’ VIDEO – Murder at Sea

FACEBOOK – JUSTICE FOR GEORGE SMITH

Family continues pursuit for answers … JUSTICE FOR GEORGE!!!

The reward and media surge come three months after the family launched a Facebook profile to post evidence and information relating to their ongoing search for justice.

“We’re definitely not giving up,” Bree Smith said. “We started our Facebook crusade by releasing evidence we have collected about George’s disappearance. Between the Facebook crusade and the reward, we are hopeful this is the year we will get justice for George.”

Could There be a Break in the Honeymoon Cruise Disappearance and Murder of George Smith ? FBI Has Incriminating Video Tape Which May Lead to an Arrest

George Smith IV of Greenwich, CT has been missing since 2005. Could a video tape lead to an arrest in the case of missing and murdered George Smith?

“We have truth on our side. “My son’s life is not going to be in vain.” -  (Maureen Smith, George’s mother – Jan. 2006)

Since first covering the case of missing honeymooner George Smith in 2005 we had wondered whether there would ever be “Justice for George”. Especially when his wife of mere seconds Catherine Hagel Smith settled with Royal Caribbean Cruiselines. However, when the Smith family retained new and eager council as well as  FBI Russian organized crime agents entered the case, we began to finally believe that maybe, just maybe that the Smith family could finally get justice.

As reported in the UK Daily Mail, the FBI is apparently closer to answering how George Smith fell overboard on his honeymoon cruise seven years ago after discovering new footage from on board the ship. Twenty-six year old George Smith disappeared aboard the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, the Brilliance of the Seas, during the night of July 5, 2005. George had been partying on his honeymoon with his bride Jennifer Hagel Smith and his new found friends, Josh Askins the Russians. George Smith was brought back to his room by the Russians that night and was never seen nor heard from again. Was there foul play and a robbery gone bad? Josh Askin has testified to a Connecticut federal grand jury that he and the three Russian-Americans, cousins Greg and Zachary Rozenberg and their pal Rostislav “Rusty” Kofman, were in the room with Smith before he went missing. George Smith goes missing with blood stains on the exterior overhang of the ship beneath his cabin. Also according to Jones, Askin was also overheard on the  elevator telling others that George Smith had $50,000 in his cabin and that Hagel was playing “$200 hands of blackjack” in the hours before Smith disappeared.

The investigation into the death of Mr Smith, from Connecticut, has remained open and authorities have an incriminating video tape in their possession which may lead to an arrest.

According to Cristin Marandino from Greenwich Magazine: ‘On that videotape there are certain individuals that make very self-incriminating statements following the death of George Smith.

‘This is a videotape that the gentlemen made of themselves. And in their room, sort of passing around a flip phone.’

Check out the Dateline NBC profile the case of the disappearance of honeymooner George Smith aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship Brilliance of the Seas in 2005 (VIDEO).

More at the June 2012 issue of Greenwich Magazine.

Dateline NBC Profiles the Case of the Disappearance of Honeymooner George Smith Aboard a Royal Caribbean Cruiseship Brilliance of the Seas in 2005 (VIDEO) … JUSTICE FOR GEORGE

George Smith, missing since 2005 …

“We have truth on our side. “My son’s life is not going to be in vain.” -  (Maureen Smith, George’s mother – Jan. 2006)

The disappearance of George Smith aboard who went missing in 2005. Scared Monkeys has followed the case ever since. The family of George Smith are tremendous people who deserve answers.  Dateline NBC reviews the Royal Caribbean 6000 page file and provides a profile on the case and new details never before released. Even though George disappeared in 2005, the case is still being investigated and the Smith family never rests in getting JUSTICE FOR GEORGE.

What is most amazing in this case and may provide answers as to what happened to George Smith, the controversial and confrontational settlement between Royal Caribbean, Jennifer Hagel Smith and the Smith family may have been the smoking gun. Part of the settlement was the handing over of their files, a treasure trove of data and information.

PART 1

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This segment shows the last day of George Smith’s life and what took place the night prior to his disappearance and presumed death. The newlyweds George and Jennifer Hagel Smith went to dinner and then headed off to the on board ship casino. Also at the Casino Royal were the passengers Josh Askin and the individuals who would become known as the “Russians” (Rostislav “Rusty” Kofman and cousins Greg and Zachary Rozenberg ). It was reported that some passengers had heard that George Smith had said that he had large sums of money back at his cabin. Whether George did or not is irrelevant, what those that over heard him say; however, is relevant. Did the money play a role in what happened to George Smith, was it a robbery gone horribly wrong?

PART 2

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The party moved from the from the casino to the disco. Josh Askin through his attorney states that when things got a little weird and sleazy. He references that the group was met up with the an off-duty casino floor manager who had his arm around Jennifer and was coming on to her completely forgetting and ship employee – passenger boundaries.  Jennifer leaves the disco with Lloyd, the casino floor manager after many witnesses noticed an argument between Jennifer and George.  The disco closes and the four Russians help an drink George Smith back to his room. Thanks to the electronic key cards (locklink), there was a trail of who went where and when. It is reported that after George, Josh and the Russians got back to George’s room, they left again with George to go find Jennifer. When she left the disco, she never went back to the room. After looking for Jennifer, they return to George’s room at 4:01 am. Later that morning a passenger in the room next to George’s hears words, things being moved and then a loud thud. Then there is silence.

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New Details in Death of of George A. Smith IV Who Died on Honeymoon Mediterranean Royal Caribbean Cruise … FBI Russian Organized Crime Agents Join Investigation … Could it lead to Justice for George?

WILL THERE FINALLY BE JUSTICE FOR GEORGE?

“We have truth on our side. “My son’s life is not going to be in vain.” (Maureen Smith, George’s mother – Jan. 2006)

It has been six years since George A. Smith IV disappeared on July 5, 2005 while on his honeymoon in the Mediterranean on a Royal Caribbean cruise with his then wife, Jennifer Hagel Smith.  George’s body was never recovered; however, his body left bloodstains on an exterior overhang of the ship. Sadly, no one was ever held responsible for the death and disappearance of George Smith. Now the focus is on four men, among them three Russian-Americans from Brooklyn, New York.

Flash-forward to 2012 … there might just be new details  into George Smith’s death that could lead to answers and the truth as what happened to George Smith on that fateful night in 2005. Much of the information comes from the legal settlement with Royal Caribbean cruise line where they also agreed to hand over its investigative file on Smith’s disappearance, which includes witness statements made to Royal Caribbean and Turkish authorities by those who last saw Smith, as well as from cruise ship employees.

Attorney Michael Jones, who represents Smith’s family, said cruise line documents obtained in a settlement over the Greenwich man’s estate and the lawyer’s own questioning of the four young men who are believed to have escorted a heavily intoxicated Smith back to his room that night raise doubts about their account of events.

Attorneys for the men have said their clients did nothing wrong.

One of the men, Josh Askin of California, failed an FBI-administered polygraph test, Jones said. When questioned by Jones about Smith, Askin did not answer, instead invoking his Fifth Amendment right.

“The evidence suggests that Josh Askin and the boys know more than they have let on,” Jones said. “It’s time for them to come forward and tell what they know about George’s disappearance.”

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US/Mexico: The Search for Missing & Murdered David Hartley Continues on Falcon Lake … Friends & Family Protest at Mexican Consulate in Colorado

There are questions abound and rightfully so in this case; however, what no one can question is the violence on the US-Mexican border. Did it come as a surprise to Americans that there were Mexican pirates operating so close to the US border? Not Somalian pirates, Mexican ones.

The search continues in the United States-Mexico border lake for missing and presumed murdered David Hartley. However, to date there has been no body found. Searches continue, even though there were threats of an ambush from drug gangs temporarily thwarted efforts.

The story is bizarre to say the least. The wife’s story had initially been questioned by Mexican authorities. That’s is a dicey comment to state publicly, no matter if authorities believe it to be true or not with Tiffany’s story. Remember, this is Mexico, where police corruption and drug cartels rule the day.

But on Monday, a Mexican official seemed to question whether the attack took place at all.

In a statement, Marco Antonio Guerrero Carrizales, district attorney for the Miguel Aleman Province, writes, “We are not sure. We are not certain that the incident happened the way they are telling us.”

CBS News correspondent Don Teague reports that family members have countered by criticizing what they see as a lackluster search effort by Mexican authorities.

Let’s keep in mind that this area is prone to violence. There had been previous attacks and people were warned about the area. Personally, I would go no where near Mexico or have my family members there, but that’s me.  Please try to not compare Mexico is the US and how things are done. Mexico is not only a completely different country, its a completely different world.

However, there is a witness and blood evidence that was discovered to support. Zapata County’s sheriff Sigifredo Gonzalez stated that he has blood evidence from the life vest of Tiffany Hartley, the wife of David Hartley, that supports her story. But does it really? All it supports is that David Hartley is dead. I would like to think we as a society have not become so jaded that we dismiss the words of the wife over that of Mexican authorities. However, that is not to say we do not have the right to speculate and question if the story does not add up, like in the case of murdered honeymooner George Smith.

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