Cruise ship murder suspect said he snapped before beating and choking woman: affidavit
A criminal complaint filed in the Southern District of Texas shows that Jason Leon Watford, 48, has been charged with murder in connection with the woman's death aboard the cruise ship while it was sailing in international waters on Sunday.
Key points
- ANNA KEPNER’S STEPBROTHER CHARGED AS ADULT WITH MURDER, SEXUAL ABUSE IN FLORIDA TEEN’S CRUISE SHIP DEATH Watford allegedly admitted to choking the woman with both hands before wrapping his right arm around her neck from behind as she was lying down.
- TEEN ACCUSED OF STEPSISTER’S CRUISE SHIP MURDER BUYS TIME TO CONSIDER PLEA BUT WON’T GET ‘SWEET’ DEAL: EXPERT Surveillance footage showed Watford entering the cabin at about 7:46 p.m., followed by the woman about 25 minutes later, investigators said.
- SECRET EVIDENCE FILED IN ANNA KEPNER CARNIVAL CRUISE MURDER CASE AS FEDS PUSH TO JAIL ACCUSED STEPBROTHER Watford answered and briefly spoke with the housekeeper, who reported seeing what she believed was blood on his hands and pants and the woman lying face down and motionless on the floor, the affidavit says.
Jason Leon Watford said he ‘snapped’ after verbal dispute with the woman, before allegedly killing her in a cabin A passenger of a Texas -based cruise ship has been charged with murdering a woman in their cabin on Sunday on the first day of their voyage.
Additional details
- SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST TRUE CRIME NEWS MSC security detained Watford as a suspect, and the cruise line contacted the FBI's Texas City Resident Agency at about 11 p.m.
- MSC Cruises previously told Fox News Digital that authorities instructed the ship to return to Galveston after the cruise line reported an incident involving a guest.
- Crew members aboard the MSC Seascape found the unidentified victim deceased and face down on the cabin floor, with Jason Leon Watford sitting in a corridor outside scrolling through his phone, according to an FBI affidavit that details the alleged crime.
- "Our thoughts are with the guest’s family and friends at this difficult time." An FBI task force officer said the evidence supporting the murder charge includes surveillance video, Watford's statements to investigators, accounts from MSC employees and an examination of the woman's body.
- Watford told investigators the two had been arguing while eating at a restaurant aboard the ship before returning to the cabin, where the argument continued, according to the affidavit.
How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →
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