( CNN ) -- An Alabama man whose wife died during a honeymoon scuba diving trip off the coast of Australia almost five years ago has been charged in her death . Tina Watson , background right , lies motionless after she drowned in 2003 while diving in the Great Barrier Reef . An Australian coroner ruled Friday that there was enough evidence to put Gabe Watson on trial for the death of Tina Watson , who was 26 when she drowned in October 2003 while diving around a historic shipwreck in Australia 's Great Barrier Reef . Watson , 31 , told police that his new bride appeared to panic 45 feet underwater and that he `` looked into her eyes and saw her eyes were wide open , but there was no response , '' Townsville Coroner David Glascow said in his inquest findings . Glascow , however , cited what he said were inconsistencies in Watson 's statements to investigators . The coroner said he was `` unable to conclude that Tina 's death was an accidental drowning . '' Watch Tina Watson 's family demand justice » . The couple married just 11 days earlier in Birmingham , Alabama . They left their home in Hoover , Alabama , for their Australian honeymoon two days later , the coroner said . As possible evidence for the husband 's motive , Glascow pointed to a statement by the woman 's father that Watson asked her to maximize her life insurance and make him the beneficiary shortly before the wedding . The insurance company confirmed that Gabe Watson inquired about her life insurance policy after her death , the coroner said . The coroner noted that Watson , through his lawyers , contended that police had made a judgment that he killed his wife before they began their investigation and that they tailored their investigation to fit their theory . Glascow said he saw no evidence of police rushing to judgment . `` It appears certain that at some point in time , investigators considered some of Gabe 's explanations lacked credibility , and it further appears to me that investigators gave Gabe the opportunity to clarify matters which may have caused concern , '' the coroner said . The husband was an experienced diver , and his new wife was considered a novice , the coroner said . They were diving on the Yongala shipwreck about 42 miles off the coast of Townsville in the state of Queensland , Australia .
Gabe Watson has been charged with 2003 death of his wife during honeymoon . The couple were on a trip to the Dominican Republic when they went missing in November 2003. Coroner unable to conclude that Watson 's death was accidental .