GALVESTON — The FBI is investigating the death of a Brazoria County woman whose body was discovered on a Carnival cruise ship that docked in Galveston on Saturday, an agency spokeswoman said.
Kipi Holcomb, 32, died Monday aboard the cruise ship Ecstasy.
Holcomb’s family said her soon-to-be fiancé, Aaron, discovered Holcomb’s lifeless body in the couple’s stateroom on the first morning of their five-day cruise.
"He reached for her and realized something wasn’t right," Sharron Holcomb, Kipi’s mother, said.
The FBI was notified that same day, and agents traveled to the ship’s next port of call in Progresso, Mexico, on Tuesday to launch an investigation, FBI Special Agent Shauna Dunlap said.
The FBI has jurisdiction for crimes on vessels that sail in international waters from U.S. ports.
Dunlap called the investigation routine and said investigators haven’t found any reason to suspect foul play.
But Kipi Holcomb’s family said they believe a cloud of suspicion has been cast over their daughter’s boyfriend, and they want to dispel any rumors that Aaron had anything to do with the young woman’s death.
"I don’t want any suspicion cast on Aaron at all," said Sharron Holcomb. "As far as any earthly party having anything to do with her death, absolutely not."
Sharron Holcomb said Kipi and Aaron were a match made in heaven. They loved to travel and had a passion for anything that had to do with water.
They set sail aboard the Ecstasy to begin the next chapter in their 15-year-old love story.
"They went to buy a stone," Kipi’s father, John Holcomb, said.
The stone was for an engagement ring, but they would never make the purchase.
The Holcombs said a number of blogs have insinuated that Aaron had something to do with their daughter’s death. They also believe Aaron was mistreated aboard the cruise ship.
According to the Holcombs, once Aaron found their daughter lifeless and called for help, he was taken to what they described as a blood-stained room. They said he was locked inside and wasn’t allowed to make a phone call.
"They treated him like he was guilty," said Sharron Holcomb.
A spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Lines said he couldn’t respond to those claims, but 11 News was sent a written statement.
"All appropriate authorities were notified, including the FBI, per standard procedure," wrote Carnival’s Vance Gulliksen. "Carnival extends its heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the guest’s family for their loss."
Holcomb’s body was taken to the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office after the ship docked at the Port of Galveston early Saturday morning.
The medical examiner’s office had not determined the cause of death Saturday and referred all questions to the FBI.
Holcomb, who lived in Churchill, was an honors graduate from Brazosport College and editor in chief of the college student newspaper, The Navigator.
In 2007, Holcomb spoke about taking a semester-long program that involved travel by a passenger ship to several countries.
"The feeling of belonging somewhere with a great new group of friends provided the opportunity and support I needed to branch out of my comfort zone in education," she said in an interview with The (Brazosport) Facts.
The Holcombs said that while they don’t know how their daughter died, they’re confident foul play wasn’t involved.
As far as they knew, Kipi wasn’t sick, and there were no signs of physical trauma.
And though they’re grieving for their daughter, the Holcombs said they know she died doing what she loved – she was on the water.
TJ Aulds of The Galveston County Daily News and John Tompkins of The (Brazosport) Facts contributed to this report.
