A Texas man has been charged with murder after a woman he was travelling with was found dead in their cabin during a Caribbean cruise. Jason Leon Watford, 48, allegedly choked the woman to death following an argument over dinner.
Incident aboard MSC Seascape
Watford and the unidentified woman boarded the MSC Seascape in Galveston, Texas, on Sunday. Hours into the voyage, the vessel returned to Texas, where Watford was arrested and taken off the ship. He has since been charged with murder.
According to court documents, Watford told FBI investigators that he and the woman argued during dinner, and the dispute continued when they returned to their cabin. He reportedly became violent and hit the woman multiple times.
Investigation and arrest
Watford told investigators he choked the woman with both hands and strangled her from behind using his right arm. He released his grip after four to five minutes, only letting go after becoming exhausted, according to court documents.
A housekeeper who went to the cabin to drop off towels at around 9pm discovered the scene, finding what she thought was blood on Watford's hands and pants, with the woman lying on the floor. Watford was scrolling on his phone when the body was discovered. He did not contact ship security or medical personnel, changed his clothes, and was later seen sitting in the hall on his phone minutes after the housekeeper spotted the body.
Previous arrest and ship's return
Watford was previously arrested for assaulting a family member in September 2024, according to reports. The captain framed the ship's return to Galveston as a medical emergency, but passengers captured Watford being escorted off in handcuffs. The ship has since resumed its Caribbean trip and is currently heading to Costa Maya, Mexico, according to CruiseMapper.
