17 Disturbing Photos With Horrifying Backstories
6. Diver Down
Upon first glance, the picture above is just an average photograph showing scuba divers swimming the oceans depths, exploring nature. But on taking a closer look, one can see that figure is stationary on the bottom of the sea floor. Still nothing too alarming with no context, but the story behind this one is pretty startling.
The photo was taken by Gary Stemper, of his wife in the foreground. The other two divers pictured are Tina Watson and a rescue diver. Tina and her husband Gabe, an Alabama couple, had chosen Australia for their honeymoon site to do some diving at the Great Barrier Reef. But this was a dive from which Tina would never surface alive. The husbands story is that strong currents pulled her under, and upon swimming to her after her distress signal Tina knocked his mask loose, and by the time he recovered she was sinking too quickly.
He surfaced for help, and also later claimed that an ear issue prevented him from diving deeper to retrieve her and that he hadn't been properly trained for a situation like that. Conflicting statements by Watson led to an investigation, and Queensland prosecutors suggested that he turned off his wifes air regulator and bear-hugged her until she lost consciousness, then turned it back on and resurfaced. The inquest led to a June, 2008 indictment in which Watson pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter with a sentence of four and a half years to be suspended after twelve months.
There were appeals, an Alabama trial and a weird incident involving hidden cameras catching Watson removing flowers and gifts left on Tinas grave. The Alabama case was eventually dismissed due to insufficient evidence and Watson was left to live his life in infamy as the man who may or may not have killed his wife along the ocean floor.