Man Gets Life For Killing Wife Aboard Cruise Ship
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A 57-year-old former teacher has been sentenced to life in prison for beating and strangling his wife aboard a cruise ship.
Robert McGill apologized for his actions during Thursday's sentencing hearing in federal court in San Diego but did not explain why he killed his wife, Shirley. The Los Angeles man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
His defense attorney says McGill, who taught troubled youth, was a good man who made a horrible mistake after getting drunk.
U.S. Chief District Judge Irma Gonzalez says she does not buy that, noting McGill cleaned himself up after the beating and then went to the upper deck to smoke a cigar.
McGill and his wife were on a five-day Mexican cruise to Cabo San Lucas on the ship Carnival Elation in July 2009.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
