Micki Kanesaki died in a shocking murder case that gained international attention after investigators revealed she was killed during a Mediterranean cruise in 2006.
Cause of Death
According to court findings and prosecutors, Micki Kanesaki’s official cause of death was asphyxiation caused by strangulation. Authorities determined she had already died before entering the water, meaning she did not drown.
Investigators concluded that her ex husband, Lonnie Loren Kocontes, strangled her inside their cruise ship cabin and later threw her body overboard in an attempt to make the death appear accidental.
What Happened on the Cruise
In May 2006, Kanesaki traveled on a Mediterranean cruise aboard the ship MS Island Escape with Kocontes. The couple had previously divorced but continued maintaining a relationship and shared financial assets.
Late on the night of May 25 or early May 26, prosecutors said Kocontes killed Kanesaki in their cabin. After strangling her, he disposed of her body by throwing it into the Mediterranean Sea near Italy. Her remains were discovered the following day by a passing vessel.
Motive Behind the Murder
Authorities said the killing was motivated by financial gain. Evidence presented during trial showed Kocontes stood to inherit more than one million dollars from shared bank accounts and property following Kanesaki’s death.
Prosecutors argued the crime had been carefully planned to resemble an accidental fall overboard, but forensic evidence proved she had been killed before entering the water.
Investigation and Conviction
The investigation spanned several years and involved international cooperation between U.S. and European authorities. Eventually, Kocontes was arrested, charged and convicted of first degree murder with a special circumstance of murder for financial gain.
He later received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for the killing of Micki Kanesaki.
Case Legacy
The Micki Kanesaki case remains one of the most disturbing cruise ship murder investigations in modern criminal history. What initially appeared to be a tragic accident at sea was ultimately exposed as a planned homicide, bringing long awaited justice to her family.
Her story has since been featured in true crime documentaries and television investigations, continuing to draw attention to the case and the dangers hidden behind seemingly ordinary circumstances.
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