FBI investigates murder on cruise ship

A cruise ship that had left Galveston, Texas, had to return to port after an onboard incident. The FBI said it is investigating a murder on board the MSC Seascape after a woman was found dead in her stateroom.

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She has not been identified but was found dead “with multiple facial injuries,” CNN reported.

Jason Leon Watford is accused of killing the woman on Sunday evening while the Seascape was in international waters, according to KPRC.

Watford told investigators that he and the woman had argued at a ship’s restaurant that evening and that it continued later in the cabin, where the argument escalated and caused him to “snap,” according to the affidavit.

He said he hit the woman several times and choked her for several minutes, the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas, said in a news release.

She lay motionless on the floor for about 10 minutes before a housekeeper knocked on the door, investigators said. The housekeeper alerted crew members.

Onboard security detained Watford before the ship returned to Galveston early Monday morning. FBI agents interviewed Watford, who waived his Miranda rights and agreed to a recorded interview, KPRC reported.

Watford was being held in a county jail in Texas on a murder charge, The Associated Press reported.

MSC Cruises said it is cooperating with authorities and is supporting those impacted.

The ship left Galveston Monday to continue its voyage, the company said, according to the AP.