Lonnie Kocontes allegedly strangled ex-wife and threw her from cruise ship

A grand jury has indicted a US man on charges he strangled his ex-wife and tossed her off a cruise ship in Italy.

The Orange County Register said Lonnie Kocontes, 55, did not enter a plea on Monday. He was indicted on Friday on a charge of murder for financial gain. He will try to have the case dismissed on June 26, arguing that Californian authorities lack jurisdiction.

Kocontes and Micki Kanesaki, 52, were divorced but had lived together on and off. They were sharing a cabin on the cruise when she went overboard.

Italian police investigated, but did not arrest Kocontes. The latest investigation began after Kocontes began taking money from Kanesaki's accounts. He was arrested earlier this year.

On the morning of May 26, 2006, Kocontes reported Kanesaki missing to ship authorities. Her body was found a day later in the sea off the Italian coast.

"I wish I knew what happened," Kocontes said at the time. He added that his ex-wife could be an angry drunk and had talked about harming herself. "I can't rule suicide out," he said.