Cruise Murder: Suspect Held in Galveston County Jail
Jason Leon Watford is charged with killing a woman aboard the MSC Seascape after an argument in their stateroom.
By Leila Reynolds ·
A man has been charged with murder after a woman died in her stateroom on a cruise ship that returned to Texas early Monday morning.
Jason Leon Watford, 48, faces the charge in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The incident occurred aboard the MSC Seascape on Sunday. The vessel had departed Galveston earlier that day. Watford is currently held in the Galveston County Jail on a federal hold. He is scheduled to appear before a judge for an initial hearing on Tuesday afternoon.
According to a criminal complaint, Watford told FBI investigators that he and the victim began arguing in a restaurant. They returned to their shared room where the dispute continued. Watford stated that he snapped and stuck the woman multiple times. He said he then choked her for four to five minutes before releasing his grip due to exhaustion. He claimed the woman lay motionless on the floor for roughly 10 minutes. Investigators noted that Watford did not notify ship security or medical staff during that time.
A housekeeper knocked on the door to deliver towels and found Watford opening it. The complaint states the housekeeper saw what she believed was blood on his hands and pants. She also saw the victim lying face down. The housekeeper contacted ship security, which led to authorities being called. Watford changed his clothes and left the room. Surveillance video showed him sitting in the hallway outside the stateroom scrolling on his phone.
The victim has not yet been identified. The Galveston Medical Examiner’s Office scheduled an autopsy for Tuesday. The MSC Seascape is a large vessel with 2,270 cabins and nearly 5,900 guest capacity. It typically runs to the Caribbean. The ship switched its home port from Miami to Galveston last November. MSC Cruises said it was instructed by authorities to return to port. The company stated the vessel resumed its voyage by Monday afternoon.
Passenger Becsei György reported hearing a shipwide announcement around 10 p.m. Sunday that referenced a Mike Echo at level 10. He woke to find the ship back in Galveston. He observed law enforcement and Border Patrol vehicles on the dock. He saw a person being escorted off the ship in handcuffs, though it was not immediately confirmed if that individual was the suspect.
Homicide investigations on cruise ships are rare. Earlier this year, a teenager was charged with murder in the death of his stepsister on a Carnival Cruise ship. That incident took place on a vessel departing from Florida.
