ABC News has reported that Watson, 33, was arrested immediately after landing in Los Angeles two days ago. The murder charge followed yesterday.
Tina Watson, 26, died while diving with Watson on the Great Barrier Reef in 2003, as the couple honeymooned in Australia.
A murder charge was prepared in Australia on the basis that Watson, who was seen to hold his wife in a face-to-face embrace, had turned off her air supply and left her to sink to the bottom and die.
However, probably because it was not sure that it could prove intent to kill beyond all reasonable doubt, the prosecution struck a plea bargain with Watson.
In return for having the murder charge dropped, Watson pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the basis that he had acted insufficiently in trying to save his wife.
During Watson’s 18-month Australian prison sentence, his home state of Alabama sought his extradition, upon completion of the sentence, to face a murder charge.
Alabama prosecutors believe that they can prove that Watson planned the murder before departing from the state to go on honeymoon, and that the motive was to benefit from his new wife’s life insurance policy.
Difficulties over the deportation remained even in the past couple of weeks as Watson was released and detained in an Australian immigration centre.
The Australians wanted a commitment that, should Watson be found guilty of murder, he would face life in jail rather than execution.
His deportation was agreed upon receipt of such a pledge from the US Government.
Related links
Watson [information] request
Diver could face murder charge
Death by negligence, not design, says court
Archive | 
Win a Luxfer pony cylinder
