Cruise ship murder suspect 'snapped' after argument at dinner, court docs say

Cruise ship murder suspect 'snapped' after argument at dinner, court docs say A housekeeper knocked on the door to deliver towels and saw the victim lying motionless on the floor - Bookmark Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in A man accused of killing a woman on a cruise ship gave a chilling confession to FBI agents, according to court documents. Jason Watford, 48, was arrested on Monday after a woman was found dead on the MSC Seascape, a huge cruise ship with 2,270 cabins that can host nearly 5,900 guests. The investigation was launched after the victim, who has not yet been identified, was found dead in her room with multiple facial injuries. She was killed Sunday after the vessel left Galveston, according to an FBI affidavit filed in federal court. 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, according to the affidavit. After his arrest, he told FBI agents that he beat and choked the woman in their cabin after an argument at dinner caused him to “snap,” according to court documents. He said he and the woman had boarded the vessel together Sunday and started arguing while having dinner at one of the ship's restaurants. The argument continued in their room, it said. Watford told agents he hit the woman several times and “applied pressure” to her neck “for approximately four to five minutes” until he became exhausted, per the affidavit. 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. Watford 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. 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.