MURDER ON THE HIGH SEAS

Kansas Man Charged With Murdering Professor on Carnival Cruise Ship

Federal authorities say Eric Newman, 53, killed partner Tamara Tucker, 50, who plunged to her death on a cruise to the Bahamas.

A Kansas man has been charged with killing his partner, a college professor, on a Carnival cruise ship earlier this year, federal prosecutors announced on Thursday.

Eric Newman, 53, made an initial court appearance on a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Tamara Tucker, 50, which was originally reported as a fall. It was not immediately clear if Newman has an attorney.

According to court papers, the couple were on the Carnival Elation, which left Florida and was en route to the Bahamas when the crime occurred.

A local newspaper, quoting police in the Bahamas, said Tucker plunged two stories to her death from the balcony of her 14th floor stateroom near Freeport on Jan. 19, 2018.

The indictment against Newman gave no other details about the alleged murder.

According to her obituary, Tucker was a full-time faculty member in the social work department at Park University in Parkville, Missouri.

She also served as program director at the Child Abuse Prevention Association, “where she led policy change on both the state and national level and advanced child education and support," the obituary said.

“Tamara had a love for life,” it said.

Newman was described in the death notice as her “partner and long-time love.”

He is due back in court for a detention hearing on Sept. 12.

Tucker’s stepfather, James Schranz, told The Daily Beast he had no comment on Newman’s arrest. “We just want to get over the death of our daughter,” he said.

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Pilar MelendezSenior National Reporter

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