48-year-old man charged with murder on MSC Seascape cruise that left Texas

A 48-year-old cruise passenger was taken into custody on charges of murder, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas.

The charges allege that on Nov. 8, Jason Watford struck a female passenger aboard an MSC Seascape cruise ship several times before strangling her with his hands and arm following a dispute in their room.

According to the criminal complaint, Watford and the woman had been dining at a restaurant aboard the ship when they began to argue.

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The charges allege that Watford left and went to their room and the woman followed approximately 25 minutes later.

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“At approximately 9 p.m., less than an hour after the woman had entered the room, a cruise ship housekeeper knocked on the door and spoke briefly with Watford, according to the allegations. She allegedly noticed blood on his hands and clothing, saw the woman lying face down and motionless on the floor, and alerted personnel,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas said in a press release.

The woman was found dead with multiple facial injuries, according to the charges.

The complaint alleges that no one else had been seen entering or exiting the room during that time.

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If convicted, Watford faces up to life in prison as well as a possible US$250,000 maximum fine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas.

Watford is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison in Galveston on Tuesday.

The FBI – Texas City Resident Agency is conducting the investigation with assistance of U.S. Coast Guard, Port of Galveston Police Department, Customs and Border Protection and the cruise ship company.

The MSC Seascape, which took off from Galveston, is a towering white vessel that has 2,270 cabins, more than 1,600 crew and can host nearly 5,900 guests, according to the company’s website.

In a statement to Global News, a MSC Cruises spokesperson said, “On reporting a guest incident aboard our ship, we were instructed by the authorities to return to the Port of Galveston.”

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“We are cooperating fully with the investigation and providing support to those impacted. The ship has left the port and resumed its planned itinerary. As this is an active investigation, we cannot provide more details. Our thoughts are with the guest’s family and friends at this difficult time,” the MSC Cruises spokesperson added.

MSC Seascape currently runs from Galveston to the Caribbean for five- and seven-night stays, according to the company’s website.

Global News has reached out to U.S. Coast Guard, Port of Galveston Police Department and the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office for further comment, but has not received a response.

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On Monday, the FBI released a statement regarding the suspected homicide onboard the MSC Seascape cruise ship.

“FBI Texas City is responding to a suspected homicide onboard the MSC Seascape cruise ship that docked in Galveston on November 9, 2026. 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, the Port of Galveston Police Department, Customs and Border Protection, and the cruise line,” the FBI said.

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Earlier this year, a teenager was charged with murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the death of his 18-year-old stepsister Anna Kepner on a Carnival Cruise ship out of Florida.

Kepner, a recent high school graduate, was travelling with her family on the Carnival Horizon cruise from Miami to the Caribbean when she died.

Timothy Hudson, 16, was indicted as an adult by a federal grand jury on April 13 in the death of Kepner, whose body was found under a bed in a Carnival Horizon room that she was sharing with him and another teen during a family trip in November 2025.

Hudson has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse.

According to court records, Hudson was travelling with Kepner and other family members on or about Nov. 6-7, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Florida said in a press release.

“During that time, while the ship was in international waters en route to Miami, T.H. allegedly sexually assaulted and intentionally killed Kepner. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office later determined the cause of death to be mechanical asphyxiation.”

Mechanical asphyxia is when an object or physical force stops someone from breathing.