According to the FBI Houston office, the incident happened around July 23 on the Carnival Dream cruise ship.
GALVESTON, Texas — Authorities have released the identity of a man who died aboard a popular cruise ship sailing out of Galveston.
The Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office said Euvekester Villarreal Jr., 48, of Rio Grande City, Texas, died while the Carnival Dream was at sea. According to FBI Houston, the incident occurred around July 23. Several agencies are now investigating what happened.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The video above aired before the victim was identified.
The medical examiner’s office conducted the autopsy on Monday morning, and, as of right now, they say there are no signs of obvious trauma. They have sent out for toxicology tests to be done.
A spokesperson for the FBI Houston office sent KHOU 11 the following statement Saturday:
“I can confirm FBI Houston is aware of an incident that occurred around July 23, 2025 on the Carnival Dream cruise ship. An FBI maritime liaison agent, based out of the Texas City resident agency, is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and the cruise line regarding this incident. Due to the ongoing natures of the investigation, I am not able to provide any additional details at this time.”
Passengers on board the ship told KHOU 11 off-camera that they woke up to the sound of sirens blasting at around 3 or 4 a.m. on the day of the incident. One passenger reported hearing an announcement requesting medical assistance at the Serenity Deck.
Meanwhile, speculation among guests about what happened has been circulating online. In response, Carnival Cruise Line issued a statement Saturday to KHOU 11, saying:
“There is no investigation about a suspicious death on Carnival Dream and it’s disappointing to learn that any guests might be spreading rumors about something they know nothing about.”
However, on Monday morning, Carnival Cruise released the following statement:
“It is standard practice for the FBI to review deaths that occur on cruise ships. This routine protocol ensures transparency. It does not automatically imply suspicious circumstances, and the facts of this matter do not suggest any such activity. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to our guest’s family and loved ones in this difficult time.”
Passengers also said that debarkation in Galveston on Saturday was delayed, with some claiming that they saw law enforcement come onto the ship.
The FBI is the primary federal agency authorized to investigate potential crimes on the high seas. Their ability to investigate can depend on several factors, including the ship’s location, its ports of embarkation and debarkation, and the nationalities of any potential suspects or victims. In some cases, other countries may also choose to investigate.
KHOU 11 has requested more information from the FBI Houston office about what led up to the death or whether anyone has been taken into custody. However, the agency said it could not provide any more details as of Saturday night. We are working to find out more.
Carnival announced on July 17 that Carnival Dream would return to New Orleans as its homeport in 2027.