GALVESTON — What began as a vacation at sea ended in tragedy for a Texas man, as federal authorities have confirmed an ongoing investigation into his death aboard the Carnival Dream cruise ship.

Euvelester Villarreal Jr., 48, of Rio Grande City, died while the vessel was in open waters, according to the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office, which confirmed the death to KHOU 11. The FBI Houston office said the incident occurred around July 23, triggering a coordinated investigation now involving the FBI, U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and other federal partners.

The cause of Villarreal’s death has not yet been released, and officials have not confirmed whether any foul play is suspected. However, the investigation has drawn attention from both passengers and the public due to the circumstances surrounding the onboard response.

Several guests told KHOU 11 that they were startled awake between 3 and 4 a.m. by loud emergency sirens on the day of the incident. One said they heard a medical call issued over the ship’s speaker system, directing staff to the Serenity Deck, an adults-only area on the upper deck.

When the ship docked in Galveston Saturday morning, some passengers reported delays in disembarkation and said they witnessed law enforcement personnel boarding the vessel.

In the days that followed, speculation about the nature of the incident grew on social media. In one post, a user claimed the victim’s body had remained in the ship’s morgue until arrival and that a female suspect had been detained in the ship’s brig. These claims have not been independently verified, and no arrests or charges have been publicly confirmed.

Initially, Carnival Cruise Line denied that a suspicious death had occurred. In a strongly worded statement to KHOU 11, the company expressed disappointment in passengers who they claimed were “spreading rumors about something they know nothing about.”

However, in a new statement issued Monday morning, Carnival took a more measured tone and acknowledged Villarreal’s passing.

“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,” the company said.

The FBI confirmed that a Maritime Liaison Agent based in Texas City is overseeing coordination between agencies and the cruise line.

As of Monday afternoon, no additional details had been released by the FBI or Galveston County officials regarding Villarreal’s cause of death.

Photo credit: Creative Commons, Myselfalso

Editor’s Note: This story includes information reported by KHOU 11. The article has been updated as of July 28th to reflect new information.