The Honeymoon Drowning That Turned A Groom Into A Murder Suspect

The Honeymoon Drowning That Turned A Groom Into A Murder Suspect

Author: Mamamia Podcasts August 20, 2025 Duration: 55:21

In October 2003, newlyweds Gabe and Tina Watson travelled from Alabama to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef for their dream honeymoon. Just 11 days after their wedding, the couple prepared to dive the SS Yongala shipwreck, one of the world’s most famous dive sites. But within minutes of entering the water, Tina was pulled to the surface unconscious. Despite desperate attempts to save her, she could not be revived.

What began as a heartbreaking accident soon raised chilling questions. Why were Gabe’s stories inconsistent? And what really happened underwater that day?

In this episode, host Gemma Bath speaks with journalist and author Lindsay Simpson, co-author of Honeymoon Dive, to explore a case that captivated the world and still divides opinion more than 20 years on. You can find the book here

THE END BITS

If any of the contents in this episode have caused distress, know that there is help available via Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.

Make sure to leave us a rating and review on Apple & Spotify to let us know how you're liking the episodes. 

Click here to get 20% off your Mamamia subscription and we'll match it with a 20% donation to RizeUp, our charity partner supporting women and families affected by domestic violence. Offer ends August 24.

CREDITS 

Guest: Lindsay Simpson

Host: Gemma Bath

Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman

Audio Producer: Jacob Round

GET IN TOUCH

We finally have an Instagram! Follow us @truecrimeconversations

Follow us on TikTok @truecrimeconversations

Want us to cover a case on the podcast? Email us at truecrime@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note.

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribe

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


Gemma Bath hosts True Crime Conversations, a podcast from Mamamia Podcasts that delves into infamous criminal cases from Australia and around the world. Rather than just recounting facts, each episode is built around a direct conversation with someone who has a unique, often personal connection to the story. You might hear from a detective who worked the case, a journalist who covered the trial, a family member seeking answers, or a forensic expert who examined the evidence. This approach brings a tangible, human dimension to stories that can sometimes feel distant or sensationalised. The tone is engaging and thoughtful, focusing on the nuances and the people affected, rather than just the shock value. It’s for anyone who appreciates a deeper, more conversational entry into the true crime genre, where the emphasis is on understanding the ‘why’ and the ‘how’ from those who were actually there. Listening to this podcast feels like being part of a serious, yet accessible, discussion about some of the most compelling and complex crimes in recent history.
Author: Language: en-au Episodes: 100

True Crime Conversations
Podcast Episodes
Meet The Former Australian Prosecutor With A Target On Her Back [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:34
Margaret Cunneen SC was one of Australia’s top Crown Prosecutors, renowned for securing convictions against some of the country’s most notorious criminals, including the Butcher of Bega and Robert “Dolly” Dunn. She also…
According To A Criminologist, Keli Lane Shouldn’t Be In Prison. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:30
On September 12, 1996, Keli Lane gave birth to a baby girl at Auburn Hospital in western Sydney. Two days later that baby seemingly disappeared. After years of investigation, Keli was convicted of her daughter's murder i…
Why Women Kill And The Lives They Live Behind Bars [fresh episode] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:47
Women are responsible for only 10 per cent of homicides in Australia, Canada, England, and the US, and because it’s such a small sample size not much research has been done into the motives and behaviours that drive fema…
With Her Abuser Behind Bars, Dassi Erlich Is Ready To Talk [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:59
In 2023, Malka Leifer was sentenced to 15 years in prison for 18 counts of sexual abuse against Dassi Erlich and her little sister. Leifer was the sisters' former high school principal, and when whispers of their allegat…
Eve Wiley’s Father Was A Serial Sperm Donor… And He’s Not Alone [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:51
Eve Wiley is one of the featured voices in the Netflix series The Man with 1000 Kids, but the story of how she came to be a fierce advocate for victims of fertility fraud is a deeply personal one…and one you have to hear…
A Doomsday Cult And Two Missing Kids [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:55
In November 2019, police conducted a welfare check on seven-year-old JJ Vallow. He hadn't been seen since September, and police will come to realise that neither had his teenage sister Tylee. They've stumbled onto a web…
Tia Levings Escaped A Trad Wife Cult [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:32
Tia Levings was raised within the same strict Christian fundamentalist ideology as the infamous Duggar family from 19 Kids And Counting. By the time she was 19 years old, Tia found herself in an abusive marriage where th…
Inside One Of Australia’s Longest Running Cults [fresh episode] [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:13
The Geelong Revival Centre, one of Australia’s longest-running cults, has been hiding in plain sight for years. Led by Pastor Noel Hollins until his death in 2024, the ultra-conservative church controls every aspect of i…