TEXAS MAN CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER WOMAN FOUND DEAD ABOARD CRUISE SHIP IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS

GALVESTON, TEXAS — Federal authorities announced on November 10, 2026, that Jason Watford, 48, of Tyler, Texas, has been taken into custody and charged with murder following the death of a female passenger aboard a cruise ship traveling in international waters. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, Watford allegedly assaulted and strangled the woman inside their shared cabin on November 8 after an argument that began earlier in the evening.

According to the federal criminal complaint, Watford and the woman were dining at a restaurant aboard the cruise ship when a disagreement developed between them. Investigators allege that Watford left the restaurant and returned to their cabin. Approximately 25 minutes later, the woman followed him into the room, where prosecutors allege the fatal assault occurred.

Federal authorities accuse Watford of repeatedly striking the woman before strangling her using his hands and arm. The alleged attack occurred inside the cabin while the vessel was operating outside United States territorial waters. The complaint identifies the confrontation as the circumstances preceding the woman’s death, although the Justice Department has not publicly disclosed the nature of their disagreement.

At approximately 9 p.m., less than an hour after the woman entered the cabin, a cruise ship housekeeper knocked on the door and briefly spoke with Watford. According to the complaint, the employee noticed what appeared to be blood on his hands and clothing. During the encounter, the housekeeper also observed the woman lying face down and motionless on the cabin floor, prompting her to alert other ship personnel.

Crew members responding to the cabin discovered the woman deceased, with multiple facial injuries. According to the federal criminal complaint, no other individuals had been seen entering or leaving the room during the period described in the allegations. Federal prosecutors included these circumstances in the complaint supporting the murder charge.

Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Texas are handling the case, which concerns an alleged killing aboard a cruise ship operating in international waters. United States maritime criminal law provides federal jurisdiction over certain serious offenses committed at sea when the applicable statutory requirements are satisfied.

Watford was scheduled to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison in Galveston at 1 p.m. on November 10. During the initial appearance, the court was expected to address the federal charge and applicable procedural matters. The Justice Department’s announcement did not establish whether Watford had entered a plea or whether additional court proceedings had been scheduled.

If convicted of the federal murder charge, Watford faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a possible fine of up to $250,000. The specific sentence, if a conviction is obtained, would be determined through the federal judicial process. The identity of the deceased woman and the name of the cruise ship were not disclosed in the November 10 announcement.

The FBI’s Texas City Resident Agency is leading the investigation with assistance from the United States Coast Guard, Port of Galveston Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the cruise ship company. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anh-Khoa Tran is prosecuting the case for the Southern District of Texas.

Watford remains accused of murder, and the allegations contained in the criminal complaint have not been established through a conviction. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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