Texas man accused of cruise ship murder had argued with woman in their cabin, FBI says

A cruise ship passenger accused of killing a woman shortly after the vessel departed from Texas told FBI agents he beat and choked her in their cabin after an argument caused him to “snap,” according to court documents.

Jason Watford, 48, of Tyler, Texas, was set to make an initial federal court appearance on a murder charge Tuesday in Galveston. He was being held at a county jail. It was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer who could respond to the allegations.

A man who said he is Watford’s son declined to comment Tuesday when reached at a phone listing in public records for relatives.

The alleged killing happened aboard the MSC Seascape, 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.

The woman, who was not immediately identified, was killed Sunday after the vessel left Galveston, according to an FBI affidavit filed in federal court. A ship investigator contacted authorities to report that the woman was found dead in her room with multiple facial injuries.

A housekeeper who knocked to deliver towels saw the woman lying motionless on the floor and what looked like blood on Watford's hands and pants when he opened the door, the affidavit said.

In an interview with FBI agents after the ship returned to Galveston on Monday morning, Watford said he and the woman had boarded the vessel together Sunday and began arguing while having dinner at one of the ship's restaurants, according to the affidavit. The argument continued in their room, it said.

Watford told agents he struck the woman several times and “applied pressure” to her neck “for approximately four to five minutes” until he became exhausted, the affidavit said. He said she lay motionless for about 10 minutes until the housekeeper arrived.

Surveillance video showed that Watford entered the room at 7:46 p.m. and the victim went in about 25 minutes later, authorities said. At 9:15 p.m., he was seen on the video leaving the room wearing a different shirt and pants, according to the complaint, and sat on the hallway floor looking at his phone.

MSC Cruises said authorities told the ship to return to Galveston after the crew reported the passenger's death, and that the vessel resumed its voyage Monday. The company said 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.

Associated Press writer Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia contributed.