Key Aspects:
- Jason Watford has been federally charged with the murder of a female victim onboard MSC Seascape.
- Details of the crime, including that Watford allegedly strangled the victim during an argument, have been released in a federal affidavit filed on Monday, November 9.
- The investigation included a review of the ship’s security footage, eyewitness accounts from crew members, and an interview with Watford.
Just one day after MSC Seascape returned to Galveston for a suspected homicide onboard, further details about the incident have been released in an affidavit initially filed on Monday, November 9, 2026.
Cruise Hive has already reported that 48-year-old Jason Watford was arrested at the Port of Galveston in connection with the suspected homicide. Now, Fox News has made the full federal affidavit available and the details of the incident are shocking.
The affidavit was filed on Tuesday by FBI Task Force Officer Thomas Plew in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Galveston Division. Plew investigated the crime scene and coordinated with other law enforcement officers to determine what happened onboard the 5,877-guest cruise ship.
MSC Cruises security personnel contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation at approximately 11 p.m. on Sunday, November 8, reporting a suspected homicide on MSC Seascape, just hours after the ship had departed Galveston. But how did that suspicion come to be?
Security footage onboard the ship, as well as eyewitness accounts from crew members and an interview with the suspect, established the timeline of the tragic incident.
During the evening, Watford and the still-unidentified female victim began arguing while eating at a restaurant onboard the cruise ship. The restaurant is not specified, and MSC Seascape has more than a dozen different dining venues, including main restaurants, specialty dining restaurants, and snack bars.
Watford returned to their stateroom at 7:46 p.m. (as verified by security camera footage), and the victim returned to the same room at 8:11 p.m. Watford has said the argument continued inside the stateroom.
At approximately 9:02 p.m., the stateroom attendant knocked on the door to deliver towels. At that time, the attendant noticed what appeared to be blood on Watford’s hands and pants, as well as the woman lying face down and motionless on the floor.
The stateroom attendant notified ship’s security, and several additional crew members arrived at 9:13 p.m. Watford exited the room a couple of minutes later, wearing different clothing than he had been observed wearing just 15 minutes earlier, and sat on the hallway floor while scrolling on his smartphone.
Further security officers were called, and Watford was subsequently detained.
MSC Seascape returned to the Port of Galveston at roughly 5:30 a.m. on Monday and docked at Pier 16. FBI personnel boarded the ship to conduct their investigation. Watford was then arrested and removed from the ship.
Following the conclusion of the onboard investigation, MSC Seascape departed Galveston to resume her 7-night itinerary. Guests onboard have reported on Reddit that there is no change to the port visits and the ship is still expected to visit Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel.
Cruise Hive’s ship tracker shows MSC Seascape en route to Mexico as planned, with an estimated time of arrival at roughly 1 p.m. on Wednesday, November 11. The ship was originally scheduled to arrive at Costa Maya by 8 a.m., but the diversion back to Galveston may require that port visit to be shortened; however, no itinerary changes have been officially confirmed.
What Happened in the Stateroom?
Watford’s post-Miranda interview provided further details about the incident. During the time he and the victim were in the stateroom, Watford said the argument continued and he struck the victim multiple times, accounting for the blood that had been observed on his hands and pants.
Later in the argument, Watford said the escalating fight caused him to “snap.” At that point, he choked the victim with both hands and then with his right arm wrapped around her neck for at approximately 4-5 minutes before releasing his hold. The victim remained motionless on the floor after being released, and Watford did not contact either ship security or medical personnel.
“Based on my review of CCTV footage, the post-Miranda statements made by Subject, corroborating statements provided by MSC personnel, and the inspection of the body of Victim 1 by FBI personnel, I submit there is probable cause to believe that Subject committed Murder, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1111,” Plew’s affidavit concludes.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas, notes that if convicted, Watford faces up to life in prison and a possible fine up to $250,000. He made his initial court appearance in Galveston at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
Murders on cruise ships are rare but catch attention when what is supposed to have been a fun vacation becomes a tragic event.
The most famous of such incidents in recent years is the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner in her stateroom onboard Carnival Horizon in November 2025. Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother has been charged with the crime, with the trial date set for January 2027.
