FBI continues investigation into woman’s disappearance from ship

By KOLLIN KOSMICKI - GM Today Staff

WAUKESHA - A man aboard the cruise ship from which Annette Mizener disappeared a month ago says he’s the one who found an array of her belongings on a deck, and that he witnessed a security camera covered with paper near those items.

Michael Gaither, of Milipitas, Calif., said he was surprised the FBI never contacted or interviewed him because he was one of three people who knew firsthand where the items were found. He said he also sent the FBI and Carnival Cruise Lines a detailed account of his observations, along with times.

"I consider myself sort of, kind of, a suspect," Gaither said sarcastically in a phone interview.

Mizener, 37, of Waukesha, went missing from the Carnival Pride cruise ship traveling back to Long Beach, Calif., from its voyage to Mexico. A Carnival spokeswoman has said crew workers found Mizener’s purse on a deck that night. A search for Mizener on the ship and in surrounding waters failed to locate a body.

Passenger says he found missing woman’s purse, saw tampered camera, continued