A Texas man has been arrested and is facing a federal murder charge after a woman was found dead in her room on a cruise ship “with multiple facial injuries,” according to the criminal complaint in the case. The suspect, identified as 48-year-old Jason Leon Watford, was initially detained by security aboard the MSC Seascape cruise ship, before being arrested when the ship returned to port in Galveston, Texas, early Monday, according to the criminal complaint. The woman was identified as Susan Watford, the suspect’s wife, FBI spokesman Connor Hagan said, adding that a child was found unharmed by responding law enforcement. Susan Watford died from blunt force trauma and her death has been ruled a homicide, the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Wednesday. After waiving his Miranda rights, Watford told investigators he and the victim had a disagreement while at a restaurant on the ship Sunday evening and he returned to their room. Shortly after, the victim returned to the room, where the argument escalated, according to the complaint. Watford told investigators the heated argument caused him to “snap,” and he hit the victim multiple times until she started to bleed “onto his shirt, pants, and hands,” he told investigators. He said he choked his wife with both hands and wrapped his right arm around her neck from behind while she was lying down, the complaint said. He said he continued to apply pressure for “four to five minutes,” only letting go “after becoming exhausted.” After releasing his grip, Watford told investigators, his wife lay motionless on the floor. About 10 minutes later a member of the cruise ship’s housekeeping staff knocked on his door, Watford said. The housekeeper, who had come to provide towels, called for assistance after seeing what she thought was a motionless woman lying face down on the floor and blood on Watford’s hands and pants, according to the complaint. Shortly after the housekeeper saw Watford, security camera footage showed him leaving the room wearing different clothes. He sat down on the hallway floor near his room and began scrolling on his phone, the complaint says. He did not call ship security or medical personnel for help, according to the complaint. The cruise ship was instructed to return to the Port of Galveston, an MSC Cruises spokesperson said. “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,” FBI Houston said in a statement. MSC Cruises said it is fully cooperating with the investigation and “providing support to those impacted.” The ship left the port again to resume its planned itinerary, according to the company. “Our thoughts are with the guest’s family and friends at this difficult time,” their statement said. The MSC Seascape, which can carry nearly 6,000 passengers and more than 1,600 crew members, originally set sail on a seven-night cruise with expected stops in Mexico and Honduras. Watford had his initial appearance in federal court Tuesday afternoon, court records show. Watford is being held in custody pending trial, according to court records. His next hearing is scheduled for November 16. The court appointed Alex Omar Rosa-Ambert as Watford’s public defender. Rosa-Ambert declined to comment on the case. If convicted, Watford faces up to life in prison and a possible maximum fine of $250,000, according to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. Rebekah Riess, Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN
