Family of Woman Found Dead on Cruise Ship Release Photo, Statement

Family of Woman Found Dead on Cruise Ship Release Photo, Statement
The Emerald Princess cruise liner, where Petritap/ Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Breaking News Reporter
|Updated:

The family of a Utah woman who was allegedly murdered by her husband on board a cruise ship in Alaska released a photo and a statement, saying they’re “devastated” after her death.

Kristy Manzanares, 39, was found dead last Tuesday in a cabin of the Princess Cruises ship. Her husband, Kenneth Manzanares, was arrested and charged with her murder. He reportedly told a witness: “She would not stop laughing at me“ and allegedly attempted to drag her body to a balcony. ”My life is over,” he later stated, according to reports.

“We are devastated over the loss of Kristy,” reads a family statement that was sent to the Salt Lake Tribune. “She is the light of our lives—a devoted mother, daughter, sister and friend. Kristy led by example with her giving heart and we are inspired by the legacy of kindness and optimism she has instilled in her children,” 

They also sent the newspaper a photo of Kristy holding her suitcase.

Miranda Barnard, a family spokeswoman and life-long friend of Kristy, said to the paper that “Kristy and her family were on the cruise as part of a family vacation trip with other extended family members.” Her daughters are back in Utah with family members, she said.

Kristy Manzanares in a photo released by her family (MANZANARES FAMILY)
Kristy Manzanares in a photo released by her family MANZANARES FAMILY
Jack Phillips
Jack Phillips
Breaking News Reporter
Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter who covers a range of topics, including politics, U.S., and health news. A father of two, Jack grew up in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
twitter