Dark Voyage

Summary

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48 Hours: “Dark Voyage”

Episode Date: November 20, 2025
Host: CBS News
Summary Prepared By Podcast Summarizer

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Episode Overview

This gripping episode of 48 Hours delves into the haunting mystery of Ashley Barnett’s death during a cruise to celebrate her 25th birthday. The investigation not only examines the tragic circumstances surrounding Ashley’s passing but also scrutinizes broader issues of safety, justice, and the recurring pattern of unexplained cruise ship deaths. Through heartbreaking interviews with Ashley’s family and friends, conflicting testimony, and years of unanswered questions, the story brings into focus a mother’s relentless pursuit of the truth.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Ashley Barnett: Life and Aspirations

• Background: Ashley was described as radiant, ambitious, and beloved by her family and friends. She aspired to be a successful actress and worked her way up in Hollywood, most notably as a music coordinator for composer John Debney and as a production assistant on "Will & Grace."
  • Quote – Jamie Barnett (Mother):
    “She wanted to be a very successful actress. She wanted to be on that red carpet one time. That girl had talent and she had the looks, she had the personality.” (00:27)
• Her Character: Friends and family emphasize Ashley’s aversion to drugs and her supportive, nurturing nature towards those struggling, such as her boyfriend, Jeff Ginsburg.

2. The Cruise, The Incident, and the Immediate Aftermath

• The Cruise: Ashley and her boyfriend Jeff boarded the Carnival cruise ship "Paradise" on October 14, 2005, joined by friends.
• Disappearance: Less than 24 hours after boarding, Ashley was found unresponsive in her cabin.
  • Quote – Jamie Barnett:
    “She goes on a cruise and 24 hours after getting on this boat, she’s gone.” (02:49)
• Jeff's Account: Jeff said he returned to their cabin around 4 a.m.; Ashley was asleep. He claims she was still sleeping when he went out the next day and that he found her nonresponsive around 2 p.m.
  • Quote – Jeff Ginsburg:
    “I walked up to her, I was like, baby, you know, let’s go… and she wasn’t responding, and I just started freaking out.” (12:40)

3. Medical Response and Initial Investigations

• Timeline: Ship authorities responded within minutes, but Ashley was pronounced dead at 2:45 p.m.
• Investigation: Mexican authorities led the initial probe since the ship was docked in Ensenada, as per maritime law. Ashley’s body was left in a Mexican morgue while the cruise ship departed with all passengers aboard.
  • Quote – Jamie Barnett:
    “If that had been me, wild horses couldn’t have kept me on that ship, I would have been with her.” (16:54)
• Family Reaction: Jamie was not able to speak to Jeff immediately after Ashley’s death, further fueling suspicion.

4. Autopsy Findings and Drug Questions

• Toxicology Reports: Both Mexican and independent U.S. autopsies concluded that Ashley died from the toxic effects of methadone, a synthetic opioid commonly used for withdrawal from other drugs.
  • Quote – Jamie Barnett:
    “It was the toxic effects of methadone that had killed her. And I was just stunned.” (21:27)
• Mother’s Belief: Jamie insisted Ashley was not a drug user; hair tests corroborated that Ashley had no history with narcotics.
  • Quote – Narrator:
    “No other drugs were found. Her hair was negative. More evidence that she was clean before this incident.” (22:39)

5. Conflicting Theories & Persistent Questions

• How Did Ashley Ingest Methadone?
  • Potential Accident: Jeff hid his methadone in a bottle of Nyquil/Dayquil to smuggle it onboard. There is speculation Ashley—who felt unwell—may have taken some, not knowing the contents.
    • Quote – Narrator:
      “But perhaps not knowing that there was methadone in the Nyquil bottle.” (30:52)
  • Deliberate or Accidental Consumption?: Jeff claims he told Ashley about the methadone, but her mother and friends are unconvinced she’d knowingly take it.
    • Quote – Jamie Barnett:
      “She wouldn’t have. No, she’s not like that.” (22:21)
    • Quote – Jeff Ginsburg:
      “I had put the methadone in the bottle right there in front of her.” (31:06)
• Other Theories: Suggestions range from Ashley being slipped the drug deliberately, ingesting it for attention following an argument, or tragic accident.

6. Systemic Issues: Cruise Ship Crime & Investigation Hurdles

• Investigation Roadblocks: Jamie’s attempts to get answers were met with bureaucratic stonewalling; both Carnival and the FBI cited ongoing investigations and provided little information.
  • Quote – Jamie Barnett:
    “They can look at me and say, I can’t answer that. And I go, why? Why not? Well, because that's, you know, part of an ongoing open investigation.” (25:43)
• Malfunctioning Key Log System: The door key reader for Ashley and Jeff’s cabin failed, leaving no record of who entered/exited, complicating the timeline.

7. Parallel Case: George Smith

• Maureen Smith’s Story: The episode draws a parallel to the 2005 disappearance of George Smith while on his honeymoon cruise, highlighting another unresolved cruise ship tragedy.
• Similarities: Both families faced stonewalling from cruise lines and authorities, experienced a lack of closure, and pursued civil litigation seeking truth and accountability.
  • Quote – Maureen Smith:
    “It’s not knowing what happened that’s the killer.” (34:40)

8. Personal Toll and Ongoing Fight for Justice

• Enduring Grief: Both Jamie and Maureen express how the pain only intensifies with time, driving their relentless search for truth.
  • Quote – Jamie Barnett:
    “I wake up every morning praying that no other mother ever has to live this nightmare.” (33:41)
• Civil Litigation: Jamie settled a wrongful death suit against Carnival Corporation; the FBI ultimately closed the George Smith case without charges.
  • Quote – Narrator:
    “Ashley’s mother, Jamie Barnett, settled a wrongful death suit against Carnival Corporation.” (45:16)

9. Haunting Uncertainties & Warnings for Others

• Unanswered Questions: Despite exhaustive efforts, crucial aspects of Ashley’s death remain unresolved. Jamie visits Ashley’s grave, sharing the week’s events in ritual remembrance.
  • Quote – Jamie Barnett:
    “All the pieces still don’t fit together, do they? … Don’t know if I can bear forever, not fit those pieces together.” (44:01)
• Advice to Parents: With deep emotion, Jamie implores parents to consider the risks of unsupervised young adults on cruise ships.
  • Quote – Jamie Barnett:
    “Don’t let them go. Don’t let them go.” (45:03)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote / Moment | |-----------|----------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:49 | Jamie Barnett | “She goes on a cruise and 24 hours after getting on this boat, she’s gone.” | | 12:40 | Jeff Ginsburg | “I walked up to her, I was like, baby… she wasn’t responding, and I just started freaking out.” | | 16:54 | Jamie Barnett | “If that had been me, wild horses couldn’t have kept me on that ship, I would have been with her.” | | 21:27 | Jamie Barnett | “It was the toxic effects of methadone that had killed her. And I was just stunned.” | | 22:39 | Narrator | “Her hair was negative. More evidence that she was clean before this incident.” | | 25:43 | Jamie Barnett | “They can look at me and say, I can’t answer that… that's part of an ongoing, open investigation.” | | 31:06 | Jeff Ginsburg | “I had put the methadone in the bottle right there in front of her.” | | 33:41 | Jamie Barnett | “I wake up every morning praying that no other mother ever has to live this nightmare.” | | 44:01 | Jamie Barnett | “All the pieces still don’t fit together, do they?” | | 45:03 | Jamie Barnett | “Don’t let them go. Don’t let them go.” |

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:27 – Jamie and friends introduce Ashley, her happy upbringing, and big dreams.
• 02:33 – The cruise, celebration, and sudden tragedy.
• 10:32 – Ashley’s final hours reconstructed from home video and Jeff’s account.
• 13:43 – Discovery, initial medical response, and onset of suspicions.
• 15:31 – Jamie learns of her daughter’s death via phone call from the ship.
• 19:09 – Jeff’s admission of bringing methadone, discussion of his addiction.
• 21:27 – Autopsy revelation: cause of death is methadone toxicity.
• 22:39 – Hair analysis confirms Ashley was not a habitual drug user.
• 25:43 – Jamie’s struggle with FBI and Carnival’s lack of transparency.
• 30:10 – Jeff’s smuggling of methadone in Nyquil bottle; accidental ingestion theory.
• 33:53 – Introduction to parallel case: George Smith’s death at sea.
• 44:01 – Jamie’s ongoing grief and unresolved questions.
• 45:16 – Resolution: civil suit settled, FBI closure of George Smith’s case.

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Conclusion & Lasting Impact

“Dark Voyage” paints a heart-rending portrait of loss, ambiguity, and the arduous pursuit of justice. The episode exposes the unique challenges of investigating deaths at sea, the vulnerabilities passengers can face aboard cruise ships, and the determination of those left behind to get answers, no matter how elusive. The episode closes with Jamie Barnett’s solemn advice to parents and her enduring resolve to honor Ashley’s memory by relentlessly seeking the truth.

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This summary aims to capture the full scope and emotional depth of the episode for listeners new to this story, offering essential details, key moments, and poignant quotes as told by those closest to these tragic events.

Transcript

[Jamie Barnett]

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[Narrator]

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[Jamie Barnett]

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[Narrator]

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[Jamie Barnett]

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[Narrator]

The story is about the all American girl, 24 years old, beautiful, smart, who goes on a pleasure cruise to celebrate a birthday.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

There's our boat right there.

[Jamie Barnett]

She loved to lay out and swim and she would be with him.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I told her, let's get away, you know, it'll be nice, you know, and we'll have a good time.

[Narrator]

She goes on a cruise and 24 hours after getting on this boat, she's gone.

[Jamie Barnett]

I thought it was a cruel, cruel. What do you mean? My daughter passed away.

[Narrator]

We still don't have clear answers of how Ashley died. My name is John Debney. I am a film composer here in Hollywood, California. I sit here today as part of Ashley's army.

[Jamie Barnett]

We are here today to demand answers into the mysterious death of Ashley Barnett. On October 15, 2005, Ashley's boyfriend ran into the hallway screaming for help.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

And I yelled down the hall, help, help. My girlfriend's not breathing.

[Jamie Barnett]

The first thing that came out of my mouth was, well, what did he do to her? Honestly? Like an accident? Like, I don't know.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

It was the worst day of my life. It was the worst day of my life.

[Jamie Barnett]

Does he know what happened? Does he not know what happened? Was he involved in what happened?

[Narrator]

You believe he knows what happened?

[Jamie Barnett]

I believe he knows. We all think that you're so safe on a cruise ship, but we're not. On October 14, 2005, Ashley sailed out of Los Angeles to celebrate her upcoming 25th birthday. And one day into that cruise, she was dead. What happened? I'm her mother. I need to know. I can't go through the rest of my life not knowing. I have to know.

[Narrator]

Jamie Barnett has made a promise to herself and to her daughter.

[Jamie Barnett]

Wherever that truth is, we're going to find it.

[Narrator]

One way or another. You're going to find out how and why your daughter died?

[Jamie Barnett]

Yes, I am.

[Narrator]

Jamie knows. This much is true. Her daughter sailed off with her boyfriend, Jeff Ginsburg.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

She was very alive when I left that room.

[Narrator]

But Jeff came back alone after he left the room. We just don't know what happened in that cabin. That's the mystery.

[Jamie Barnett]

That's it right there.

[Narrator]

This was not the ending that anyone would have predicted for 24 year old Ashley Barnett, who had everything to live for. Ashley had the love and support of a large extended family. Though he and Ashley's mother were divorced, there was a devoted father and three adoring brothers.

[Jamie Barnett]

They were all so close. A wonderful thing about all of my children, those boys adored their sister and she them. Hi, my name is Ashley. I'm 14 and I love to dance.

[Narrator]

Ashley seemed destined for a life in front of the camera right from the start.

[Jamie Barnett]

She loved performing, always loved performing.

[Narrator]

She grew up in Burbank, California, in the shadow of the Hollywood studios.

[Jamie Barnett]

Yeah, we can pull that.

[Narrator]

Jamie works at the CBS television studios behind the scenes running the grip department.

[Jamie Barnett]

Ashley's office was right here.

[Narrator]

When she was 20 years old, Ashley got a job in the mailroom on the same lot where her mom works. Ashley soon landed a production assistant job on the hit show Will and Grace. It was just the kind of stepping stone that a young aspiring actress needed. Ashley soon caught the eye of film composer John Debney. She had Starr written all over her. Not only was she beautiful, but she had such a heart and a soul. He wrote the scores to box office hits like Princess Diaries and Bruce Almighty. Debney offered Ashley a position as his music coordinator. There are a lot of fine actors and actresses in this town, but Ashley had an extra. Something I think It's a spark of fairy dust. It's this thing that very few people have. We'd like to play now something called From Somewhere in Time. And I like to think it represents Ashley somewhere in time. Debney never imagined he would lead an orchestra at Ashley's funeral. 40 instruments playing music chosen especially for her.

[Jamie Barnett]

I guess I should start by just describing her and when she walked in a room, how she lit it up, she was just so amazing.

[Narrator]

Many of Ashley's closest friends stood up and paid tribute. But one person at the memorial was not welcome to speak. Her boyfriend, Jeff Ginsburg.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I felt, you know, like I should have been a part of it, that, you know, I could have. I could have shared a lot of stories. I was a big part of Ashley's life. You know, Ashley did love me. I did love Ashley.

[Narrator]

Jeff and Ashley had been friends since the ninth grade, but became a couple in their early twenties. By then, Jeff was working as an electrician. What did you like about her so much?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

Her personality, her carefree, you know, look at the world. Her eyes, her hair, her laugh. It was just perfect to me.

[Narrator]

But there was a problem that was bigger than both of them. Jeff had struggled with drug addiction. What were you using?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

Vicodin.

[Narrator]

Did she know that he was a drug user when she started dating him?

[Jamie Barnett]

When she started dating him, she knew he had been. That he was clean. Now was her understanding.

[Narrator]

Everyone who knew Ashley knew how she felt about drugs. Those who knew her said that she was not into drugs, didn't approve of drugs. What was she doing with you?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I think she looked past that. She looked at. When I'm in my addiction, that's not me. That's not Jeff.

[Jamie Barnett]

Ashley's the type of girl where if somebody's hurting, she will comfort you and try to help you and fix you.

[Narrator]

Ashley's best friend, Ali Twiest. Did she tell you that she thought she was going to be able to change him?

[Jamie Barnett]

She truly believed that, that she could help and that her love could somehow wake him up. But it didn't happen like that.

[Narrator]

On October 14, 2005, Ashley and Jeff boarded the carnival cruise ship paradise here in Long Beach, California. There are conflicting versions of what went wrong that weekend, but we do have clues. And some of the most compelling clues were left by Ashley herself.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

There's our boat right there.

[Narrator]

This is some of Ashley's home video of that fateful trip.

[Jamie Barnett]

Hi, Ashley. Hi, Jojo.

[Narrator]

Documenting what would turn out to be the last hours of her life. Joe Fishera is a friend of Jeff and Ashley's. He was part of the group that joined the couple along with Jeff's brother Keith. To me, it was like a big rave at sea. Just people dancing and just everybody just having such a good time, you know. You know, drinking and partying, you know, this is going to be a cool time.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I won the jackpot.

[Narrator]

We know from Ashley's videotape that she and Jeff went to the casino that night. They went to hear the bands play. They seemed happy. I mean, what I know is that they went to the concert and then they went back to the room. According to Jeff, back in the cabin there was a disagreement. He wanted to return to the casino. But it was about 2:30 and Ashley wanted to go to bed.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

You know, it was kind of late, but still I kind of just. I was really excited about the cruise and I just wanted to stay up.

[Narrator]

So when you left her, was she upset?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

She was a little upset, yeah.

[Narrator]

About 4am According to Jeff, he returned to the cabin. And when you got there, how was Ashley?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

She was asleep.

[Narrator]

Did you try to wake her up?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

No, I just had to cuddle up. Got in next to her and held her and went to sleep.

[Narrator]

Saturday midday, Jeff said Ashley was still sleeping. So he left her in the cabin and went upstairs to join the group. He comes by and his exact words were, my baby doll still snoring. Let's let her sleep a little bit longer and we'll wake her up in a little bit. About 2pm, Jeff says he returned to wake Ashley.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I went up to her, I walked up to her, I was like, baby, you know, let's go, you know, come on. 10 to get up. I kind of touched her on the face and I was like, you know, baby, baby, what's going on? You know, and her eyes were shut and I was kind of like trying to open her eyes a little bit and she wasn't responding. And I just started freaking out.

[Narrator]

You knew something.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I knew something was very wrong.

[Narrator]

2:07Pm, Jeff calls 911.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I said, you know, my girlfriend's not breathing. I don't think she's breathing. Please come help.

[Narrator]

Within three minutes, a nurse arrives and attempts CPR. 210, an emergency announcement is broadcast to summon the ship's doctor.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

And the chaos and the alarms and the ship going on in 911.

[Narrator]

At 2:12, the doctor arrives. According to his statement, Ashley was unresponsive, cold with no pulse. At 2:45, she was pronounced dead.

[Jamie Barnett]

I won't ever be the same. Oh, none of us will. I just, I couldn't believe it. She was my family.

[Narrator]

In your opinion, what do you think happened to her?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I've thought about it a thousand times and I just don't know.

[Jamie Barnett]

He has to know what happened.

[Narrator]

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[Jamie Barnett]

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[Jamie Barnett]

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[Narrator]

On Saturday, October 15th, Jamie got that terrible phone call from the nurse on board the ship and she said, well.

[Jamie Barnett]

We don't know that's being investigated right now.

[Narrator]

Did Jeff ever phone you?

[Jamie Barnett]

No, not that night. I asked to speak to to him and she told me I couldn't right now, that he was being questioned. She later called me back and said that he had been cleared to talk to me, but that he had so far declined to do so.

[Narrator]

What did you make of that?

[Jamie Barnett]

I didn't know what to make of that.

[Narrator]

And that's how the mystery began. What did you think had happened?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I had no idea. I had no idea.

[Narrator]

Carnival began an investigation. But because the boat was docked in Ensenada, the Mexican authorities boarded the ship. They needed to determine if a homicide had been committed. Later that night, Jeff and the rest of the group were all on board when the paradise set sail as scheduled back to California. But Ashley Barnett was left behind in a Mexican morgue alone. She's left in Mexico and the boat sails on. The party goes on. Nobody stays with her.

[Jamie Barnett]

If that had been me, wild horses couldn't have kept me on that ship, I would have been with her.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I did not want to stay on that boat. I wanted to get off that boat. I wanted to be with Ash. I didn't want to let her go into Mexico.

[Narrator]

Carnival says Jeff had no choice and confirms to 48 Hours that he was required to remain on board the ship until US Authorities could question him. One day after Ashley's death, as the ship was heading back home, Jeff finally called Jamie. Why did you wait so long to call her?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I didn't know what. I didn't know what to say. I was just kind of just in a state of shock. How do you make that call? What do you say? And, you know, maybe I didn't do it right, but I did end up calling Jamie, you know, the following day.

[Narrator]

In that conversation, Jeff revealed what would be the first troubling clue.

[Jamie Barnett]

The conversation was very short because the people in the room with him took the phone away from him because he was so upset. He just said, I don't know what happened. And I said, you know, Jeff, you have to know what happened. You were with her. And he said, jamie, I have no idea. She went to sleep. And that's all I know. The only thing I know is some of my methadone and some of my Vicodin was missing. And I said, you know, Jeff, what does that mean? What are you saying? She wouldn't have taken it. I know, I know.

[Narrator]

So was Ashley's sudden death caused by drugs? The drugs Jeff says were missing? Jamie was about to learn that the carnival cruise was not just to celebrate her daughter's birthday. Jeff says he planned to use the time on board to detox. He had relapsed into his Vicodin habit, and that's why he says he had methadone with him. Let me ask you this. At the time, you were addicted to Vicodin, trying to get off using methadone. Is it a good idea to go on a three day party cruise?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

No, it's not.

[Narrator]

Most people associate methadone with heroin addiction, but it's also used to help addicts withdraw from other drugs. Were you under a doctor's care?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

No.

[Narrator]

Were you just doing this on your own?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

Yes.

[Narrator]

Where did you get the methadone?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I've already answered that. I mean, that doesn't matter. The fact is that I brought the methadone on with me.

[Narrator]

When the paradise came back to Long beach, the FBI stepped in and began its own investigation.

[Jamie Barnett]

You think, oh, thank God it's going to get taken care of. The FBI is involved, you know, help Is on the way.

[Narrator]

Jamie says the FBI told her to be waiting at the harbor when the ship came in. She believed she would find out what happened to her daughter.

[Jamie Barnett]

We stood out in the rain and waited and waited. And finally a woman from carnival came and spoke to my friends that had brought me there and said she was terribly sorry to hear about our loss and she would go find someone to come and help us. No one ever came. And it continued to rain for four hours. And finally the FBI came out and took me inside to interview me.

[Narrator]

More questions? No answers. The FBI revealed little to Jamie about what it knew. Jeff Ginsburg was not charged with any crime. And the mystery was about to deepen. Ashley's body was returned to the United States. She appeared to be externally very healthy. Five days after her death, her family hired Dr. David Posey to perform an autopsy. Dr. Posey found Ashley's organs were in pristine condition. There was evidence that she had consumed some alcohol. There were no signs of trauma. There were really no external signs of any injury at all. Dr. Posey's was the second examination of the body. The first one was in Mexico. Both autopsies had reached the same conclusion.

[Jamie Barnett]

It was the toxic effects of methadone that had killed her. And I was just stunned, stunned, you know, he said he had methadone on the ship. How in the world would it have gotten in her?

[Narrator]

Methadone is a tricky drug. Less than a teaspoon can be fatal. You're saying this is an extremely dangerous drug to begin with, but even more so if your body has never had any methadone in it? That is correct. It's a very dangerous drug to be using, Even in the best of hands. Jamie and Ashley's friend Allie are convinced of one thing. Ashley would not have tried methadone on her own. Wouldn't have experimented with it. If he'd offered to, for whatever reason, share it with her, she wouldn't have.

[Jamie Barnett]

No, she's not like that.

[Narrator]

And to prove it, the family ordered a test of Ashley's hair. One strand could determine if she had been an habitual drug user. No other drugs were found. Her hair was negative. More evidence that she was clean before this incident. That's a lot more evidence and really helps tie together the findings from the autopsy. But who could tie this case together? Jamie demanded that carnival provide her with all the evidence they had gathered.

[Jamie Barnett]

How did methadone get into Ashley's body?

[Narrator]

And she turned to high powered attorney Gloria Allred for help.

[Jamie Barnett]

We want the ship to tell us everything they know.

[Narrator]

Their campaign yielded numerous documents from Carnival's internal investigation and landed them a personal meeting with company officials in Miami.

[Jamie Barnett]

All of these questions that you're going to ask them, you have a right to ask them and you have a right to get answered. Okay? But it shouldn't take this to get those answers.

[Narrator]

And the biggest question still lingered. If she didn't take the methadone herself, how did that methadone get into her body?

[Jamie Barnett]

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[Jamie Barnett]

I want to find out what happened to my daughter. Someone or some people need to be held accountable for it.

[Narrator]

There were so many places Jamie Barnett expected to go in the name of the daughter she loved. But she never expected that one of them would be the FBI.

[Jamie Barnett]

I'm just an ordinary mom, so I don't understand how the FBI works.

[Narrator]

She wanted details of the federal investigation into the death of her daughter. All she wanted to know was what happened.

[Jamie Barnett]

And when I ask them a real simple. I think it's a simple question. And they can look at me and say, I can. I can't answer that. And I go, why? Why not? Well, because that's, you know, part of an ongoing open investigation, so I can't talk about it. Still frustrating. That's frustrating to me.

[Narrator]

The FBI confirms to 48 Hours that the investigation is still open. But the truth in this case is especially elusive. That's because the only version of events of one, what happened behind the doors of Jeff and Ashley's cabin comes from Jeff. For the record, understand I gotta ask you this question. Did you give Ashley that methadone?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

No way. Never. I would never ever have ever done that.

[Narrator]

If Jeff didn't give her the drug, did someone else?

[Jamie Barnett]

I think somebody may have slipped her something and just trying to loosen her up. I think maybe that she might have been tricked into taking something she didn't know. I just, I know something's wrong in my heart.

[Narrator]

We have no way of verifying if Jeff went in and out of the cabin at the times he said he did or if anyone else might have entered. That's because on this cruise, on this particular weekend, the key lock which records all entries to the door door of cabin R149 malfunctioned. We do know this about that fateful day as CPR was being performed on his dying girlfriend. Jeff mentions those missing drugs to the doctor and nurse.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I had told them, you know, why they were working. I said, you know, I had methadone, I had Vicomin, you know, give her, if she had taken that, give her something for that. You know, do whatever you can.

[Narrator]

Is it possible that Ashley Barnett, the young woman with the reputation for being so anti drug, willingly took the methadone herself? The ship's incident report from that day offers yet another clue in a statement attributed to Jeff. Ashley had an abortion three weeks before the cruise and she was, quote, quite depressed at times.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

She was depressed, she was down, she.

[Jamie Barnett]

Was upset over having to make that kind of decision. And I won't deny that she did not take it lightly, but it was the appropriate amount of sadness.

[Narrator]

I was with her a day or so before she went on the cruise. She was not depressed. She was talking about getting back next week and what her appointment was with another agent that she was going to hopefully sign with. Jeff also told Carnival about an incident months earlier when Ashley, quote, had attempted to consume a large quantity of medication, aspirin, six months ago.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

She had brought up something about something that happened at her house and that she had taken too much Tylenol or something or some kind of over the counter medication. But it was okay because her mother was there and you know, it was a stupid idea, but she was just depressed at the time. It wasn't like she was a suicidal person. She wasn't.

[Narrator]

Jamie denies that her daughter Ever took a large amount of aspirin.

[Jamie Barnett]

That never happened. I mean, that just unequivocally never happened.

[Narrator]

Still, there is another theory offered by Jeannie Ginsberg, Jeff's mom. So it's not inconceivable to you that Ashley would have taken this drug herself?

[Jamie Barnett]

No.

[Narrator]

Jeannie says Ashley had a flair for the dramatic. Remember, Ashley wanted Jeff to stay with her that night in their room. She didn't want him to go back to the casino without her. There was a disagreement. So in this scenario, though, she would have taken some to get attention from Jeffrey. Is that what you're suggesting?

[Jamie Barnett]

I thought maybe just to scare him a little bit, like, don't leave me like that again, or, you know, something like that.

[Narrator]

But there's one last possible explanation. Jeff may have set in motion events that would lead to a terrible accident. He doesn't deny he was the one who brought the methadone on board the ship.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

She knew that I had to bring it on so that I could get through the tail end of my detox.

[Narrator]

In fact, Jeff admits he hid the methadone in a bottle of over the counter cold medicine, like Nyquil or Dayquil in order to smuggle it on.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I mean, I didn't have a prescription bottle for it or anything.

[Narrator]

In Ashley's home video, Jeff seems to celebrate when he clears port security.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

Got past the dogs.

[Narrator]

And there is one more small detail in this story that may have triggered absolute disaster. Ashley's mother says her daughter wasn't feeling well when she left and may have reached for that bottle of cold medication.

[Jamie Barnett]

So it's highly likely that she would have taken some Nyquil.

[Narrator]

But perhaps not knowing that there was methadone in the Nyquil bottle.

[Jamie Barnett]

Definitely not if she knew there was methadone in the bottle.

[Narrator]

But Jeff insists Ashley did know. How do you know she knew?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

Because I was with her and I told her about it. I had, I. I had put the methadone in the bottle right there in front of her.

[Narrator]

You think it's possible that she took it by accident? I don't know if she took it by accident. That would imply that she didn't remember that you had put methadone in that bottle of Dayquil. It seems pretty far fetched to forget something like that.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I don't know what happened. That's one thing that I've come to, you know, understand or accept is that I'll never know what happened.

[Narrator]

Not knowing is not an option for Jamie. So she and her attorney press on with their own investigation. They travel to Ensenada to learn what they can from Mexican authorities.

[Jamie Barnett]

We'd like to know the results of their investigation and are they planning to proceed with any kind of criminal prosecution?

[Narrator]

Sorry, it's Jamie's fourth trip. Mexican officials spent several hours discussing what happened on the Paradise.

[Jamie Barnett]

I know this case is still open and I know they're still investigating it. They care. They care. And that just overwhelms me. Meet the computer you can talk to with Copilot on Windows. Working, creating and collaborating is as easy as talking. Got writer's block? Share your screen with Copilot vision to help spark inspiration and use Copilot voice to have a conversation and brainstorm ideas. Or maybe you need some tech help with Copilot vision. Copilot sees what you see. Let copilot talk you through step by step guidance so you can master new apps, games and skills faster. Try [e-mail] copilot shopping is hard. I can never find anything in my size. I don't even know my size. I buy my clothes the same place I buy my groceries. There's a better way. Make it easy with Stitch Fix. Just share your size, style, budget and done. Your personal stylist sends pieces picked just for you. That was easy. Stitch Fix online personal styling for everyone. Free shipping and returns. No subscription required. Get started today@stitch fix.com. i wake up every morning wishing I could hold her just one more time. And I wake up every morning praying that no other mother ever has to live this nightmare.

[Narrator]

But sadly, another mother is.

[Jamie Barnett]

As time goes on, it doesn't get better. It gets worse. Because you don't have that person in your life anymore.

[Narrator]

Maureen Smith lost her son on a cruise in July 2005. George Smith was on his honeymoon with his new bride, Jennifer Hagel. A few days into the cruise, George disappeared somewhere in the Aegean Sea. A bloodstain was found on an awning beneath his room. The captain was quick to call it an accident, something Maureen never accepted.

[Jamie Barnett]

It's not an accident. My son was murdered.

[Narrator]

The FBI is still investigating. No one's been charged.

[Jamie Barnett]

It's not knowing what happened that's the killer. And I know that was what was going through Jamie's mind.

[Narrator]

Maureen heard about Jamie's camp paying for answers and reached out to offer support.

[Jamie Barnett]

I'm so sorry for yours. Let me show you my daughter. Oh, she's gorgeous. Thank you. And your son's so hands.

[Narrator]

George's story echoes Ashley's in many ways. Both couples spent time in the ship's casino the night George disappeared. He was there with Jennifer, and they ran into a group of young men they met on the cruise. Josh askin, was one of them a college student traveling with his family. How would you describe the mood there? Was everybody in a good mood, bad mood?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

Everyone was in a great mood.

[Narrator]

When the casino closed, Josh says the manager, Lloyd Bota, suggested they head up to the district. So they all piled into the elevator together. Lloyd, the casino manager, put his arm.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

Around Jennifer, and we thought a little awkward moment.

[Narrator]

So you remember it as being awkward. Was George aware of this? Did he see this happen? Did he have any reaction to this?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I don't know what he was thinking at that time.

[Narrator]

But later at the club, witnesses say George and Jennifer argued and that she left without him. A short time later, Josh and his buddies walked a very drunk George back to his cabin. When you got to his room, what happened?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

We noticed his wife wasn't there.

[Narrator]

Did anyone think that was unusual?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

Yeah, he was on his honeymoon.

[Narrator]

His wife wasn't there.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

That's odd to me.

[Narrator]

They went out for a quick look around and didn't find her. Josh says they returned George to his room. It was getting late.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I was really hungry. We just kind of said, you know, good night, man. And he said, you know, thank you, thank you.

[Narrator]

And then we just left. But there's more to the story. My wife and I were awakened by yelling coming from the Smith cabin. Clete Hyman, in the room next door, says he heard strange sounds coming from the smith cabin. At first 4am suddenly, there was an argument out on the Smith balcony. After a couple of minutes, Hyman says he heard someone say good night. Then I looked out and saw three male individuals walking away from the room. Next, he heard what sounded like furniture being moved, followed by silence. After about two minutes of total silence, however, there was a large, what I would call a horrific thud. The thud is believed to be the sound of George hitting the awning. At almost that same moment, a crew member found Jennifer on the other side of the ship, passed out in a hallway. Investigators later found traces of blood in the Smith cabin. We want to know what happened to.

[Jamie Barnett]

Our son on that cruise ship.

[Narrator]

And we're going to fight, and we're.

[Jamie Barnett]

Going to fight until we find out.

[Narrator]

Like Jamie, answers for the Smiths have been tough to come by. The FBI won't talk about the investigation and the person they counted on the most. Jennifer says she has virtually no memory of what happened that night.

[Jamie Barnett]

Not only to lose your memory, but then to have nobody believe you. I don't know what happened?

[Narrator]

Her lawyer backed up her story. She has been given a polygraph test and she passed that test in flying colors. At first the Smiths were supportive but as time passed they grew further apart.

[Jamie Barnett]

We were frustrated by the lack of information coming from Jennifer.

[Narrator]

George's sister Bree and her family still hoped to join forces with Jennifer when she filed her wrongful death suit against Royal Caribbean. That and that alone they said would finally yield answers. But just days before filing breaking news in the so called missing groom case, we learn of a proposed settlement reached by the bride. Jennifer reached a settlement on her own with royal Caribbean for $1.1 million. In addition, the cruise line agreed to give Jennifer access to its information on the case. Something she hoped would bring some closure to both families. It didn't.

[Jamie Barnett]

Jennifer went behind our back without my parents knowledge and has proposed a settlement with Royal Caribbean that we did not even know about.

[Narrator]

The Smiths say Jennifer settled because she doesn't want to answer questions under oath about her actions that night. They don't believe she had anything to do with George's death but they do believe she knows more then she's telling.

[Jamie Barnett]

She is hiding something. She has answers and my son loved her. She betrayed him.

[Narrator]

She betrayed him and she betrayed us. Jennifer refused our request for an on camera interview but told 48 Hours she and her family were deeply hurt by the Smith accusations that she has fully cooperated with the FBI and has nothing to hide short of turning back the hands of time. She says there may be nothing I can do that will satisfy George's family. The Smiths meanwhile have filed their own suit against Royal Caribbean and have vowed to continue their fight.

[Jamie Barnett]

When we get answers for our son we can lay his soul to rest because right now we can't do that. And I'm going to keep going till I can do that for my son. That's what I owe him.

[Narrator]

Jamie Barnett feels she owes her daughter Ashley the same thing.

[Jamie Barnett]

I had a dream a couple of months ago and Ashley appeared to me in the dream and I said, Ashley, come home. And she said mom, I can't come home. I felt like she was telling me you've got things that you have to take care of because I can't rest until you do.

[Narrator]

Ashley Barnett died October 15, 2005. Do you feel responsible for her death?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I don't feel responsible for her death.

[Narrator]

You're the one who brought the methadone on board.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I know, I just. It's something that you know, I just have to live with and I'm trying To do that now at where I'm at.

[Narrator]

And, you know, her boyfriend, Jeff ginsburg, says he has not withheld anything about that fateful weekend.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

I have told everybody that the story. I haven't lied. I have been honest about it from day one. And I've told a lot of people it. A lot of people, the story and everything that I have told them is exactly what I know. That's it. I haven't hid anything.

[Narrator]

In a story filled with so many questions. There is one more part of the mystery that haunts both Jeff and Jamie. Remember when the doctor and nurse arrived, arrived at the cabin, they told carnival Ashley was unresponsive, cold to the touch. Was she alive when you called for help?

[Jeff Ginsburg]

She was warm. When we were doing cpr, she was still warm. She wasn't cold. You know, her lips weren't blue.

[Narrator]

And after receiving a 911 call that a passenger wasn't breathing. Jeff and jamie believe that carnival should have brought more rescue equipment when they initially responded Specifically a device to shock Ashley's heart.

[Jamie Barnett]

Everything you can do was not done.

[Narrator]

You saying it wasn't done in a timely fashion or just wasn't done in a timely fashion? Carnival insists they responded rapidly and appropriately. Additional rescue equipment would not have made a difference, they say, because Ashley had already died before medical assistance was requested. Jeff spent time in a professional treatment program for his addiction. Sadly, the person who thought she could save him is not around to know.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

That she's in my heart and mind every day, all day long. There's not a minute that goes by that I don't think about her, you know, I mean, I think about her all day long, and, you know, I wish she wasn't. You know, I wish she was here, you know, with me. But there's not a minute that goes by I don't think about her. You know.

[Narrator]

All the pieces still don't fit together, do they?

[Jamie Barnett]

No, they don't. Don't know if I can bear forever, not fit those pieces together. I do go to the cemetery and I sit with her and I talk to her and I fill her in on my week. I feel kind of like I'm back with her in a way. So it just. I'm keeping the tradition.

[Narrator]

In place of the big dreams Ashley barnett once had, A Hollywood star marks the grave where she is buried. It could be the story of anybody. She was a victim of a lot of different people or a lot of different circumstances that contributed to her untimely death. And it could happen again somewhere in some port, some 25 year old girl is getting on a cruise ship with some friends. What do you want their parents to know?

[Jamie Barnett]

Don't let them go. Don't let them go.

[Narrator]

Ashley's mother, Jamie Barnett, settled a wrongful death suit against Carnival Corporation. In 2015, the FBI closed its investigation into George Smith's death. Now streaming on Paramount. It's the epic return of Mayor of Kingstowne.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

Warden, you know who I am.

[Narrator]

Starring Academy Award nominee Jeremy Renner. I sway in these walls. Emmy award winner Ew. Lady Falco.

[Jamie Barnett]

You're an ex con who ran this place for years. And now. Now you can't do that.

[Narrator]

And BAFTA award winner Lenny James.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

You're about to have a plague of outsiders descend on your town.

[Narrator]

Let me tell you this. There's gonna be consequences. Mayor of Kingstowne New season. Now streaming on Paramount plus. Now streaming on Paramount plus.

[Jamie Barnett]

Dearest Eva, I think about you all the time.

[Narrator]

Once I find you and your your daughter, then I will kill you both.

[Jamie Barnett]

Those words and those threats were absolute psychological terrorism.

[Narrator]

Surviving 12 years of terror.

[Jeff Ginsburg]

You be prepared for my arrival.

[Jamie Barnett]

Oh my God. He found our house. And he was coming.

[Narrator]

My nightmare stalker. The Eva LaRue Story. Now streaming on Paramount Plus.