Texas man faces homicide charges after woman found dead on cruise ship

A passenger from Texas has been charged with the murder of a woman aboard a cruise ship, according to federal court documents released this week. Jason Leon Watford is accused of killing an unidentified female victim inside their shared cabin on Sunday, which marked the first day of a planned seven-day itinerary around Mexico and the Caribbean.

The incident was discovered by crew members on the MSC Seascape, who found the victim lying face down on the cabin floor. At the time, Watford was reportedly sitting in the corridor just outside the room, scrolling through his smartphone. The ship had departed for its voyage the previous day and returned to port in Galveston early on Monday, where Watford was taken into custody.

Watford has been charged with one count of felony homicide. His first appearance in federal court in Galveston was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon. The case is being prosecuted in federal court because the crime allegedly occurred on a US vessel while it was in international waters.

A four-page criminal complaint signed by Thomas Plew, an FBI taskforce officer specializing in maritime crimes, outlines the details of the alleged incident. According to the affidavit, Watford admitted to investigators that he and the victim were engaged in a verbal argument while dining at a restaurant on Sunday evening. The ship was located in the Gulf of Mexico at the time, and the dispute continued after the pair returned to their cabin.

Watford stated that the escalating nature of the argument caused him to snap. He admitted to striking the victim multiple times, which resulted in blood coming from her mouth and staining his shirt, pants, and hands. FBI teams later recovered bloodstained clothing belonging to the victim from the cabin floor.

The complaint further details Watford's account of the physical struggle. He told investigators that he began to choke the victim with both hands at some point during the altercation. He also described wrapping his right arm around her neck from behind while she was lying down. Watford claimed he applied pressure to her neck for approximately four to five minutes before releasing his hold due to exhaustion.

The alarm was raised by a female member of the ship's housekeeping staff. She had brought towels to the cabin and noticed blood on Watford's hands and pants after he opened the door slightly. She also glimpsed what appeared to be a motionless woman on the floor and immediately alerted other crew members.

Three additional crew members reported seeing Watford leaving the cabin wearing different clothes than those he had on when he initially answered the door. The official document notes that he was observed sitting on the hallway floor outside the room, using his smartphone.

Ship security detained Watford, and he was handed over to the FBI when the MSC Seascape docked in Galveston at approximately 5:30 am local time on Monday. The vessel resumed its scheduled itinerary later that same day. As of the filing, no attorney had been listed for Watford.