Chilling new details emerge as California father of three identified after jumping from cruise ship on anniversary trip

From the Newshound archive · first published 21 September 2026 · last updated 24 September 2026.

Chilling details have emerged about the final hours before Thomas Gigler, 56, a computer programmer from Redlands, California, jumped from the 11th deck of the Carnival Panorama on Saturday while sailing home from Puerto Vallarta with his wife Michelle, 48, and their three sons, aged nine, 11 and 13. The family was marking their 15th wedding anniversary — which would have fallen four days after his death. His body has not been found despite searches by the US Coast Guard and the Mexican Navy.

Sister Wendy Dowden said the couple were 'getting along quite well' and had no idea what could have triggered his death.

Michelle raised the alarm after searching the ship herself, prompting crew to page Gigler over the public address system for hours before turning the vessel around.

Security camera footage confirmed the jump; passengers were locked in their cabins for a room-by-room search before the footage was reviewed.