A cruise ship passenger accused of killing his wife after the vessel set off from Texas told authorities that he struck her in their cabin and strangled her after an argument caused him to “snap,” according to an FBI affidavit made public Tuesday.
Jason Watford, 48, was charged with murder in connection to the death of his wife, Susan Watford, aboard the MSC Seascape, which departed from from Galveston Sunday but returned to port less than 24 hours later after security aboard the ship discovered a body in his room.
NBC affiliate KPRC-TV in Houston reports a child was found inside the ship’s cabin, citing FBI officials. Connor Hagan, a spokesman for the agency, confirmed a child was found when law enforcement responded, but declined to comment on the specific location.
“A child was involved in the situation and was found uninjured by the FBI and law enforcement partners,” Hagan said, adding that the child was “part of the family.” It was not clear the exact nature of the relationship between the victim, the suspect and the child.
A Texas Department of Family and Protective Services spokesperson confirmed that the child is safe and in foster care.
Court records show that Jason Watford had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting his wife in 2024.
Jason Watford made his first court appearance on Tuesday and a federal magistrate judge ordered him to remain in custody until his next court appearance on Monday.
Javier Martinez, a public defender assigned to represent Jason Watford, did not respond to a phone message Tuesday.
Couple boarded the ship together
The MSC Seascape is a towering white vessel that has 2,270 cabins and can host nearly 5,900 guests on five- and seven-night trips to the Caribbean, according to the company’s website.
In an interview with FBI agents Monday, Watford said he and Susan boarded the vessel together Sunday and started to argue while having dinner at one of the ship’s restaurants, according to the affidavit.
Surveillance video showed that Watford returned to their room at 7:46 p.m. and Susan went in about 25 minutes later, authorities said. The couple continued to argue in their cabin, causing Watford to “snap,” according to the affidavit.
Watford told agents he struck the woman multiple times and choked her for “four to five minutes” before releasing his hold because he was “exhausted.” His wife remained motionless on the floor for “approximately 10 minutes” before a housekeeper knocked on the door to deliver towels, the affidavit states.
Watford opened the room door for the housekeeper, who “observed what she believed to be blood” on his hands and pants and also saw the woman lying face down, motionless on the floor, according to court records. The housekeeper called ship security who then contacted authorities.
The FBI says they’re investigating the death of a female passenger aboard the MSC Seascape as a homicide. It comes as authorities have taken a man into custody in connection with the alleged incident. NBC’s Liz Kreutz reports for “TODAY.”
At 9:15 p.m., he was seen on surveillance video leaving the room wearing different clothes and sat on the hallway floor outside his room “scrolling on his phone.”
Court records show Watford, of Tyler, Texas, was arrested in September 2024 after Susan Watford told an officer that her husband grabbed her wrist during an argument over money in Smith County, about 100 miles east of Dallas.
The officer wrote that Susan Watford had recorded audio of the incident in which her husband could be heard becoming aggravated as she yelled at him to back away, court records show. She ran and used a stun gun, according to court records.
Jason Watford pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily injury to a family member and was placed on community supervision for 15 months, court records show.
Husband was taken into custody after ship returned
Watford was taken into custody the next morning after the vessel returned to Galveston, where a passenger on the cruise captured video of Watford being escorted off the ship in handcuffs.
That passenger, Becsei György, told NBC News that a shipwide announcement was made around 10 p.m. Sunday that said, “Mike Echo at level 10.” When György awoke Monday morning, he was surprised to find that the ship had returned to Galveston. He said he saw law enforcement and Border Patrol vehicles, as well as a person being escorted off the ship in handcuffs.
Lynn Stack, a passenger on the cruise who says her cabin was on the same floor as the couple, told KPRC that guests were kept in the dark about what was happening throughout the ordeal.
“We just kept hearing on the intercom that it was a medical emergency,” Stack said.
The cruise resumed its voyage Monday. Stack said she’s trying to “do a reset” so she can enjoy the rest of the trip.
“People are trying to carry on, but it’s still at the forefront,” fellow passenger Sharon Brasfield told NBC News. “It’s just a horrible, horrible thing to have happened.”
MSC Cruises said in a statement that it was cooperating with authorities and providing support to those impacted.
Homicide investigations on cruise ships are uncommon. Earlier this year, a teenager was charged with murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the death of his 18-year-old stepsister on a Carnival Cruise ship out of Florida.