A man has been arrested by federal authorities in connection with a murder probe after a woman was discovered dead aboard the MSC Seascape cruise ship. The vessel returned to Galveston, Texas, on Monday, cutting short its seven-day Caribbean voyage.
Dramatic video captured by passengers shows the man, identified as Jason Leon Watford, being escorted off the ship in handcuffs by law enforcement officers. Watford, from East Texas, was taken to the Galveston County Jail and is being held on an FBI hold.
The FBI has confirmed it is investigating the incident, stating that "this is an ongoing investigation, no additional details will be provided." The circumstances surrounding the death and the victim's relationship to Watford remain unclear. Galveston County medical examiners confirmed the deceased is a woman, and an autopsy is scheduled.
The FBI investigates deaths and violent crimes at sea, as well as incidents occurring on cruise ships departing from American ports. It is unknown when the death occurred, but the ship's sudden return to port suggests the incident happened shortly after its departure.
Passengers reported that the ship departed Galveston on Sunday afternoon and changed course around 11 p.m., returning to port by Monday morning. Captains onboard reportedly informed passengers of an "incident" or "medical emergency" to avoid causing panic.
Records indicate Watford was previously arrested in September 2024 for assaulting a family member and was sentenced to 15 months of probation in November 2024. It is unclear if the victim found on the ship was the same family member.
The MSC Seascape, a Maltese-flagged vessel with a capacity of nearly 6,000 passengers, has since resumed its voyage. Its itinerary includes stops in Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatán Island, Honduras; and Cozumel, Mexico, before its scheduled return to Galveston on November 15.
