By . Nina Golgowski . PUBLISHED: . 14:03 EST, 16 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:25 EST, 16 February 2013 . A former California attorney has been arrested for the murder of his ex-wife nearly seven years after she was strangled and thrown off a cruise ship during a trip meant to rekindle their failed marriage. Lonnie Kocontes was arrested in Safety Harbor, Florida on Friday night and indicted with the 2006 murder of Micki Kanesaki, 52, whose body was found after washing ashore in southwest Italy. Kocontes told police that Kanesaki, whom he was divorced from at the time, left their cabin around 1 a.m. for a cup of tea on May 26 but never returned. He later suggested she may have been suicidal. Scroll down for video . Mystery: In May of 2006 the body of Micki Kanesaki, pictured, was found washed ashore in southwest Italy one day after reported missing by her ex-husband from their passing cruise ship . Open investigation: Lonnie Kocontes, left, was arrested on Friday night and indicted with Kanesaki's murder, seen right after a domestic assault arrest in 2003, nearly seven years after her death . Kanesaki's body was found the next day after washing on shore in Calabria, in southwest Italy. At the time investigators suggested that foul play was not involved but an autopsy later revealed she had been strangled, KCAL reports. Kocontes said the cruise was meant to rekindle their failed marriage that withstood both . her two-time arrest for domestic assault and his for sexual acts and lewd . conduct on a child - his charges later dropped. Kocontes told authorities that his ex-wife had previously talked of committing suicide suggesting it as a possible reason for her death. That was a claim her mother fiercely denied. 'There's no reason to believe it was a suicide,' her mother Setsuko Kanesaki told the OC Register through a translator in 2006. She said her daughter appeared particularly upbeat before their trip and had plans to see them after her return. Kanesaki's father also told KCAL in 2006 he suspected Kocontes had something to do with it. 'I was committed to this woman,' Kocontes told the LA Times just after her death. 'I loved her with all my heart. I wish I never had gone on the cruise.' Rocky romance: The cruise was meant to rekindle their failed marriage that spanned both her arrest for domestic assault and his for sexual acts and lewd conduct on a child, Kanesaki seen here . Smooth sailing: Kocontes told authorities that the couple were working to rekindle their failed marriage and during their Mediterranean cruise hadn't fought but instead discussed getting remarried that November (file photo) The couple divorced after six years of marriage in 2002 but continued to live together in the Southern California house they both legally owned for a few years after their split. During this time Kanesaki was arrested for domestic violence and ordered to attend a program with Kocontes. After her second arrest in January of 2003 for kicking her ex-husband in the leg, she enrolled herself in anger management classes as well as an Alcoholics Anonymous program. Kocontes had his own arrests as well including the 1999 arrest for sexual acts and lewd conduct on a girl under . 16. Those charges were dropped after the girl allegedly became too distraught to testify in court, the LA Times reports. Home: The couple who divorced after six years of marriage in 2002 continued to live together in this Southern California house they both legally owned and later fought over its sale . Denial: Kanesaki's family denied allegations that their daughter was suicidal with her father, seen here in 2006, saying he believed Kocontes might have something to do with it . After their divorce Kocontes later briefly remarried for a few months and around the fall of 2005 he asked a judge to force Kanesaki to sell their Landera Ranch home and split the proceeds. That case was dismissed after both failed to show up in court. Just several months later they embarked on the cruise that was said to have been an effort to give their marriage another go. Kocontes told police their relationship was getting better and they weren't fighting on the trip but instead discussed remarrying that November. Kocontes will be sent back to Orange County, California to face his charges of murder. It’s still not clear what new evidence has been collected to indict him of the charges nearly seven years later. Watch the video here: .
Autopsy revealed Micki Kanesaki, 52, had been strangled before thrown off a cruise ship passing Italian coast .
Kanesaki's ex-husband Lonnie Kocontes is now indicted with her murder .
Couple had a rocky relationship from start with cruise said to have been effort to rekindle their marriage .
Kanesaki was arrested twice for domestic abuse after their divorce .
Kocontes was arrested for sexual acts and lewd conduct on a girl under .
16 during their six-year marriage .
By . Nina Golgowski . PUBLISHED: . 14:03 EST, 16 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:25 EST, 16 February 2013 . A former California attorney has been arrested for the murder of his ex-wife nearly seven years after she was strangled and thrown off a cruise ship during a trip meant to rekindle their failed marriage. Lonnie Kocontes was arrested in Safety Harbor, Florida on Friday night and indicted with the 2006 murder of Micki Kanesaki, 52, whose body was found after washing ashore in southwest Italy. Kocontes told police that Kanesaki, whom he was divorced from at the time, left their cabin around 1 a.m. for a cup of tea on May 26 but never returned. He later suggested she may have been suicidal. Scroll down for video . Mystery: In May of 2006 the body of Micki Kanesaki, pictured, was found washed ashore in southwest Italy one day after reported missing by her ex-husband from their passing cruise ship . Open investigation: Lonnie Kocontes, left, was arrested on Friday night and indicted with Kanesaki's murder, seen right after a domestic assault arrest in 2003, nearly seven years after her death . Kanesaki's body was found the next day after washing on shore in Calabria, in southwest Italy. At the time investigators suggested that foul play was not involved but an autopsy later revealed she had been strangled, KCAL reports. Kocontes said the cruise was meant to rekindle their failed marriage that withstood both . her two-time arrest for domestic assault and his for sexual acts and lewd . conduct on a child - his charges later dropped. Kocontes told authorities that his ex-wife had previously talked of committing suicide suggesting it as a possible reason for her death. That was a claim her mother fiercely denied. 'There's no reason to believe it was a suicide,' her mother Setsuko Kanesaki told the OC Register through a translator in 2006. She said her daughter appeared particularly upbeat before their trip and had plans to see them after her return. Kanesaki's father also told KCAL in 2006 he suspected Kocontes had something to do with it. 'I was committed to this woman,' Kocontes told the LA Times just after her death. 'I loved her with all my heart. I wish I never had gone on the cruise.' Rocky romance: The cruise was meant to rekindle their failed marriage that spanned both her arrest for domestic assault and his for sexual acts and lewd conduct on a child, Kanesaki seen here . Smooth sailing: Kocontes told authorities that the couple were working to rekindle their failed marriage and during their Mediterranean cruise hadn't fought but instead discussed getting remarried that November (file photo) The couple divorced after six years of marriage in 2002 but continued to live together in the Southern California house they both legally owned for a few years after their split. During this time Kanesaki was arrested for domestic violence and ordered to attend a program with Kocontes. After her second arrest in January of 2003 for kicking her ex-husband in the leg, she enrolled herself in anger management classes as well as an Alcoholics Anonymous program. Kocontes had his own arrests as well including the 1999 arrest for sexual acts and lewd conduct on a girl under . 16. Those charges were dropped after the girl allegedly became too distraught to testify in court, the LA Times reports. Home: The couple who divorced after six years of marriage in 2002 continued to live together in this Southern California house they both legally owned and later fought over its sale . Denial: Kanesaki's family denied allegations that their daughter was suicidal with her father, seen here in 2006, saying he believed Kocontes might have something to do with it . After their divorce Kocontes later briefly remarried for a few months and around the fall of 2005 he asked a judge to force Kanesaki to sell their Landera Ranch home and split the proceeds. That case was dismissed after both failed to show up in court. Just several months later they embarked on the cruise that was said to have been an effort to give their marriage another go. Kocontes told police their relationship was getting better and they weren't fighting on the trip but instead discussed remarrying that November. Kocontes will be sent back to Orange County, California to face his charges of murder. It’s still not clear what new evidence has been collected to indict him of the charges nearly seven years later. Watch the video here: .
thrown off a cruise ship during a trip meant to rekindle their failed marriage. Lonnie Kocontes by her ex-husband from their passing cruise ship arrested on Friday night and indicted with Kanesaki's murder, seen right after a domestic autopsy later revealed she had been strangled, to rekindle their failed marriage that withstood and his for sexual acts and lewd . conduct on a rekindle their failed marriage and during their During this time Kanesaki was arrested for on a girl under . 16. Those charges were dropped that was said to have been an effort to give