Shivangi Sinha
Jennifer Hagel married George Smith in June 2005 in a beautiful ceremony in Newport, Rhode Island. Just eleven days later, the couple set off on their honeymoon aboard Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas from Barcelona, Spain. They were excited and ready to enjoy their trip. A few days in, after a fun night at the ship’s casino, Jennifer woke up the next morning to find George missing from their cabin, sparking a puzzling investigation. CBS’ ‘48 Hours: Murder at Sea?’ explores the case and the allegations Jennifer faced.
Jennifer Hagel-Smith Alleged She Was Abandoned by the Royal Caribbean Cruise
Jennifer Hagel began dating George Smith on June 8, 2002, and the couple made their lives in Greenwich, Connecticut. They married on June 25, 2005, in a day surrounded by the love and blessings of family and friends. Excited for their honeymoon, they planned a trip aboard Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas and departed on June 29, 2005, from Barcelona, Spain. Shortly after boarding, they made new friends and spent their days enjoying the ship’s activities and casino. On July 4, they explored Mykonos, Greece, and later had dinner back on the ship.
Shortly after midnight on July 5, Jennifer and George went to the casino, where Jennifer was seen at the blackjack table. At one point, George returned to their cabin to get more cash, and they eventually left when the casino closed at 2:30 am. Jennifer stated that she was very intoxicated and remembers little of what happened afterward. She recalled waking up alone in the cabin the next morning and heading to the couple’s scheduled massage. There, cruise officials allegedly informed her that George had gone overboard and that she needed to speak with the Turkish authorities. Jennifer claimed she was left to face questioning alone and, upon returning, was given all of their belongings by cruise staff and allegedly told to disembark.
There have been numerous conflicting accounts about the night George disappeared and what happened afterward. According to fellow passengers Josh Askin, Zachary and Greg Rozenberg, and Rusty Kofman, Jennifer had an argument with George, and casino manager Lloyd Botha allegedly followed her when she left. At the time George is believed to have gone missing, Jennifer was reportedly found passed out in another part of the ship. Royal Caribbean claimed they did not leave her alone with Turkish authorities and said they provided resources such as a female guest relations manager, a US consul official, and an FBI agent. They also alleged that Jennifer told them she would arrange her own travel back to the US.
Jennifer Hagel-Smith Has Remarried and is a Doting Mother of Two Today
In late 2005, Jennifer Hagel-Smith spoke to the media for the first time and shared her account of what happened on the fateful night. She explained that she had not shared such details even with her in-laws due to the ongoing FBI investigation. In December 2005, she appeared at a congressional committee hearing in Washington, DC, and though she was not required to testify, she had a statement read into the record, alleging that the cruise ship had abandoned her in Turkey. Alongside George Smith’s family, she announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in her husband’s case.
In January 2009, she appeared on ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show,’ reiterating her innocence and her claims of mistreatment. In 2006, she and George’s family filed a civil lawsuit against Royal Caribbean and were initially offered a $1.1 million settlement, which George’s family disputed. In 2010, the case was ultimately settled for $1.3 million. In 2009, her father, John Hagel, announced she planned to marry financial analyst Jeff Agne. The two tied the knot in a grand ceremony surrounded by their loved ones. Over the years, the two reportedly welcomed two kids into their world. From what we can tell, she is likely leading a fulfilling life after turning over a new leaf. Since then, she has kept a low profile and is no longer publicly active.
