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A cruise ship passenger accused of killing a woman aboard the MSC Seascape told FBI investigators he “snap[ped]” during an argument before beating and choking her for up to five minutes, according to newly filed federal court documents.
A criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of Texas shows that Jason Leon Watford, 48, has been charged with murder in connection with the woman’s death aboard the cruise ship while it was sailing in international waters on Sunday.
The woman has not been publicly identified.
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Surveillance footage showed Watford entering the cabin at about 7:46 p.m., followed by the woman about 25 minutes later, investigators said. No one else was seen entering or leaving the cabin before she was discovered.
Jason Leon Watford was booked into the Galveston County Jail on a federal hold. (Galveston County Sheriff’s Office)
Watford told investigators the two had been arguing while eating at a restaurant aboard the ship before returning to the cabin, where the argument continued, according to the affidavit.
Investigators said Watford admitted that he “snap[ped]” and struck the woman multiple times, causing blood to come from her mouth and land on his shirt, pants and hands. His bloodstained clothing was later found on the cabin floor.
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Watford allegedly admitted to choking the woman with both hands before wrapping his right arm around her neck from behind as she was lying down.
He told investigators he applied pressure to her neck for about four to five minutes, releasing her only after becoming exhausted.
The MSC Seascape is seen at the Port of Galveston in Texas. The ship later left the port and resumed its planned itinerary as the FBI investigated a suspected homicide aboard the vessel. (2025 Kirk Sides / Houston Chronicle)
The woman remained motionless on the floor for about 10 minutes, but Watford did not contact ship security or medical personnel, investigators said.
At about 9:02 p.m., a housekeeper arrived at the cabin to deliver towels and knocked on the door.
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Watford answered and briefly spoke with the housekeeper, who reported seeing what she believed was blood on his hands and pants and the woman lying face down and motionless on the floor, the affidavit says.
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The housekeeper then contacted other MSC employees.
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About 13 minutes after the housekeeper first knocked, surveillance footage captured Watford leaving the cabin wearing a different shirt and pants.
He then sat on the hallway floor outside the cabin and scrolled on his smartphone, investigators said.
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MSC security detained Watford as a suspect, and the cruise line contacted the FBI’s Texas City Resident Agency at about 11 p.m. to report a suspected homicide aboard the ship.
Jason Leon Watford, 48, is escorted by law enforcement after the MSC Seascape returned to Galveston, Texas. Watford has been charged with murder in connection with a woman’s death aboard the cruise ship. (CREDIT: @villamosbiztonsag via Storyful)
The Seascape returned to the Port of Galveston early Monday, where FBI personnel boarded the vessel and began investigating.
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Watford had previously been prosecuted in Texas for assaulting a family member, Smith County court records show.
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He was arrested in September 2024 on a charge of assault causing bodily injury to a family member and was sentenced that November to 15 months of probation and 30 hours of community service.
Law enforcement officers escort Jason Leon Watford from the MSC Seascape after the cruise ship returned to Galveston, Texas. Federal prosecutors have charged Watford with murder in connection with a woman’s death aboard the ship. (CREDIT: @villamosbiztonsag via Storyful)
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MSC Cruises previously told Fox News Digital that authorities instructed the ship to return to Galveston after the cruise line reported an incident involving a guest.
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“We are cooperating fully with the investigation and providing support to those impacted. The ship has left the port and resumed its planned itinerary,” an MSC Cruises spokesperson said.
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“As this is an active investigation, we cannot provide more details,” the spokesperson added. “Our thoughts are with the guest’s family and friends at this difficult time.”
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An FBI task force officer said the evidence supporting the murder charge includes surveillance video, Watford’s statements to investigators, accounts from MSC employees and an examination of the woman’s body.
