Skip to Content

As the search continues for Jennifer Seitz, more information is surfacing about the 36-year-old woman who went missing from the Norwegian Pearl cruise ship on Christmas night.

Jennifer Ellis-Seitz boarded the Norwegian Pearl with her husband of one year, Raymond Seitz, and her mother, Donna Ellis on December 21 for a 7-day western Caribbean cruise. She was reported missing by her husband at 3:50 a.m. on Friday, December 26. News reports say a surveillance video shows a woman wearing a white nightgown going overboard at 8:00 p.m. on Christmas night, however, passengers on the cruise tell us the crew told them the video shows her going over at 2:00 a.m. on Friday.

Passengers aboard the ship learned of the news various ways – some hearing the report on CNN in their cabins, and others through word-of-mouth, but no one was informed by the crew members of the ship. There were no photos circulated of the missing woman, no announcements and no cabin searches.

Some passengers think Ray Seitz seemed nonchalant after his wife’s disappearance. “Yeah, she might have jumped overboard,” one passenger recalls him saying.

On Saturday, Seitz was seen heading to the ship’s casino with a bag of quarters. “He said to me that he was going to the casino to see if he could change his luck,” Jim Nester told the Today Show.

Nester, a retired police officer, and his wife Suzanne were contestants on the ship’s game show “The Not So Newlyweds” along with Ray and Jennifer, who were known as “Couple Number 1” on the show.

Nester’s perception of the Seitzes were that they were “loud” and “wild.” Suzanne recalls Jennifer saying she was already packed for another trip to go up north to Bridgeport, Connecticut, and spend New Year’s Eve in Manhattan.

According to South Florida TV station WFTV, Ray Seitz has been ruled out as a suspect in his wife’s disappearance, however, the investigation is ongoing and the FBI is looking into the possibility of foul play or suicide.

Jennifer and Ray struggled with obesity in the past and were members of ObesityHelp.com, where they kept diaries. Photos, which show Jennifer with her former husband, Michael Rich, document her progress. Jennifer and Michael were married on June 5, 2005. Ironically, they were engaged on a cruise ship on New Years Day in 2005. Although it is unclear when Jennifer and Mike divorced, she married Ray Seitz on December 8, 2007.

Photos of Jennifer and Michael Rich from ObesityHelp.com

Jennifer and Mike’s wedding photo

In another ironic twist, in her last diary entry on ObesityHelp.com, dated November 12, she wishes her friend “Ray” a happy 3rd birthday (I am assuming this is the gastric bypass surgery “birthday”), and ends the entry with “I love you, hon!”

Jennifer’s last diary entry on ObesityHelp.com: – since her surgery was in 2002, we can assume the entry is from 2005

November 12

Happy Birthday TO ME!! THREE YEARS already….wow

august 6 2004 wow guess its been awile since I updated here Boy can I tell you guys how WONDERFULL I feel this has been the best thing I could have ever done for myself Are you ready I have lost a total of 229 lbs and feel awsome I have gone from a size 60 waist to a size 31/32 and a mens small shirt I know weigh in at 146 lbs and am doing everything I ever dreamed of doing When I started this journey in august 2002 I would have never dreamed that I would have been this succesfull I did everything I am suppose to and still do I take my vitamins and get my blood work done reguarally It always comes back awesome my doctor said I have deffinatally done well so hurray for me Thanks to all who have helped me along the way and expecially my surgery and lifelong friend Jen Ellis ( who by the way is such a hottie and has done wonderfull for herself) and Tina My angel even though I have been so bad about talking with her and of course all of you THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU you guys are the best

Pre-op photo of Ray Seitz from ObesityHelp.com

I have been unable to locate current photos of Raymond Seitz, however, I contacted his employer, who requested to remain unidentified. As we reported before, Ray works for a parking area construction and maintenance company in Longwood, Florida.

I spoke with the president of the company, who confirmed that Ray has been employed with the company for the past five years as a mechanic. He also provided me with Ray and Jennifer’s wedding date, and said this cruise was an anniversary trip for the couple.

He shared with me that Ray seemed to love and respect his wife and “thought the world of her.” “There was no indication of violence,” he added.

According to his employer, Ray was not a big person and was not capable of lifting heavy things, often requiring assistance with heavy objects at work.

I had hoped to get a more recent photo of Ray, however the company is closed for the holidays until January 5th, and my source is out of town until then.

As the FBI continues their investigation, the Mexican Navy and U.S. Coast Guard have been searching the waters around Cancun, Mexico, since Friday. Searchers believe there is little hope of finding Jennifer Seitz alive.

View photos of the Norwegian Pearl, including the FBI investigation and the balcony where it is believed Jennifer went overboard.

Today Show video which includes clips from the cruise ship game show below.

UPDATE: What Happened the night Jennifer Seitz Disappeared? EXCLUSIVE Photos and Info