Texas Man Charged with Murder of Wife on MSC Cruise Ship off Galveston
Jason Leon Watford, 48, faces a federal murder charge after allegedly strangling his wife Susan aboard the MSC Seascape. A child found in the cabin was uninjured and is now in foster care.
Texas Man Accused of Strangling Wife Aboard Cruise Ship After Cabin Argument
Jason Leon Watford, 48, of Tyler, Texas, has been charged with murder following the death of his wife Susan Watford aboard the MSC Seascape cruise ship, nbcnews.com reports, citing a federal criminal complaint filed by the FBI.
Authorities believe Susan Watford was killed on Sunday night. Her body was found on the floor of their cabin, and she had sustained "multiple facial injuries," according to the complaint.
Argument at dinner escalated into fatal assault
Watford told FBI investigators that he and his wife had argued during dinner at a restaurant on the ship. The dispute continued after they returned to their cabin, at which point he said he "snapped" and struck her multiple times.
He further told authorities that he choked her and wrapped his arm around her neck while she was lying down. He said he applied pressure to her neck for approximately four to five minutes, releasing his hold "only after becoming exhausted," the complaint states.
Security camera footage cited in the complaint showed Watford entering the cabin at 7:46 p.m. ET and Susan Watford arriving at 8:11 p.m. ET. No one else was recorded entering the room.
Housekeeper raised the alarm
Watford told investigators that his wife lay motionless on the floor for roughly 10 minutes before a housekeeper knocked on the door. The footage shows the housekeeper arriving at 9:02 p.m. ET to deliver towels. Watford briefly spoke with the housekeeper at the door.
After the housekeeper left, Watford exited the room wearing different clothing, sat on the hallway floor and scrolled on his phone, according to the complaint. The housekeeper subsequently reported seeing blood on Watford's hands and trousers, and "a motionless female lying face down on the floor." Ship employees then responded to the cabin, and Watford was detained by ship security before authorities were called.
During a search of the room, the FBI recovered bloodstained clothing from the floor.
Child found safe; ship turned back to Galveston
A child described as "part of the family" was found in the cabin and was uninjured, an FBI spokesperson confirmed. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services confirmed the child is safe and in foster care.
The MSC Seascape, a 1,060-foot vessel, had departed Galveston on Sunday. The ship company issued a statement describing a "guest incident aboard our ship" and ordered the vessel to turn around. The ship had been scheduled to visit Costa Maya, the Roatan Islands and Cozumel before returning to Galveston on 15 November.
Passenger Becsei György told NBC News that late Sunday night, an announcement over the ship's intercom said, "Mike Echo at level 10." He woke on Monday morning to find the ship had returned to port.
Prior domestic assault conviction
Jail records show Watford was arrested in 2024 on a charge of assault causing bodily injury to a family member. He was sentenced to 15 months of probation and 30 hours of community service.
Watford appeared in court for an initial hearing on Tuesday afternoon. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for the following week. The Galveston medical examiner's office said an autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday. It remained unclear as of Monday evening whether Watford had retained legal representation. He was being held in the Galveston County Jail on a federal hold.
Source: Google News MT