A 48-year-old man is facing a federal murder charge after a cruise ship was ordered back to port in Galveston, Texas, where he was taken into custody.
Jason Leon Watford, 48, was escorted off the MSC Seascape in handcuffs on November 9 after the vessel returned to the same Texas dock it had departed from just one day earlier. The ship had been bound for a seven-night Caribbean itinerary with stops on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula and Roatán, Honduras, but was turned around following what the cruise line called a “guest incident aboard.” Law enforcement and Border Patrol vehicles were waiting at the Port of Galveston when the ship arrived.
Jail records show Watford is being held without bond in Galveston County Jail on a federal hold and was due in court on November 10. Also scheduled for that day was the autopsy of the deceased woman, who had not been publicly identified at the time of reporting.
According to a criminal complaint cited by CNN, Watford waived his Miranda rights and spoke with investigators about the events aboard the ship. He told them that he and the victim had argued while at a restaurant on the ship Sunday evening, and he returned to their room ahead of her.
The woman came back shortly afterward, and the argument intensified. The complaint states that Watford said the disagreement caused him to “snap,” and he proceeded to strangle her for four to five minutes.
Watford told investigators that approximately 10 minutes later, a housekeeper knocked on the door. The staff member called for assistance after finding the woman unconscious on the floor and observing Watford’s bloodied clothing. The ship was then directed to return to Port of Galveston.
FBI Houston addressed the incident in a statement posted to social media on November 9. The bureau wrote: “FBI Texas City is responding to a suspected homicide onboard the MSC Seascape cruise ship that docked in Galveston on November 9.”
The statement continued: “As is customary with crimes aboard a cruise ship, an FBI Maritime Liaison Agent based out of the Texas City Resident Agency is coordinating with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), the Port of Galveston Police Department, Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the cruise line.”
The bureau added: “Since this is an ongoing investigation, no additional details will be provided.”
MSC Cruises issued its own statement on the matter, saying the company is cooperating with authorities and “providing support to those impacted.”
“Our thoughts are with the guest’s family and friends at this difficult time,” the cruise line added.
A witness who was present when the ship docked reported seeing a man being escorted off in handcuffs as law enforcement converged on the vessel.
If convicted, Watford faces a potential life sentence and a maximum fine of $250,000. The case is being prosecuted federally due to the crime occurring on a cruise ship in international waters, which falls under federal maritime jurisdiction.
Watford’s court appearance on November 10 marked the first formal step in the federal prosecution against him, while the autopsy of the victim was expected to provide additional details about the cause and manner of death.