Jason Watford and wife Susan Watford had just embarked on a weeklong cruise when prosecutors said the couple got into an argument leading to her death.
Chilling new details are being revealed about Susan Watford’s final moments before authorities say she was strangled to death by her husband aboard the MSC Seascape cruise ship.
Susan and Jason Watford—who is now facing charges of murder—boarded the cruise Nov. 8 to embark on a weeklong cruise to Honduras and Mexico, according to The New York Post .
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That night at dinner the two got into an argument, before authorities said Jason left the restaurant and went to their room. Susan followed about 25 minutes later, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas, citing an affidavit in the case.
Though Susan was not initially identified by name, FBI Houston confirmed to Oxygen that she was the victim in the tragic case.
Around 9 p.m., less than an hour after she’d returned to the cabin, a housekeeper knocked on the door to drop off some towels.
While speaking with Jason, the housekeeper allegedly noticed “blood on his hands and clothing” and saw Susan “lying face down and motionless on the floor,” prosecutors said.
The housekeeper quickly alerted the ship’s security who took Jason into custody, as the ship returned to its home port in Galveston, Texas.
According to prosecutors, Jason struck his wife “several times before strangling her with his hands and arm.”
He allegedly told authorities that the argument made him “snap” and he wrapped his right arm around his wife’s neck and squeezed “for approximately four to five minutes,” according to court documents obtained by The Post. He eventually released his grip “after becoming exhausted,” authorities said.
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Multiple media outlets, including The New York Post and KPRC-TV , reported that a child was inside the room at the time of the attack.
“A child was involved in the situation but was found unharmed by responding law enforcement and FBI personnel,” the FBI confirmed to Oxygen without commenting on the child’s location at the time of the murder. “We are not sharing any additional details about the child.”
Susan’s LinkedIn profile listed her as a warehouse team lead at Target, where she’d worked for more than seven years before her death as she rose up through the company’s ranks.
Jason had been previously arrested in Sept. 2024 for assault on his wife causing bodily injury, reported ABC News , citing Smith County Court records. He was later sentenced to 15 months probation and 30 hours of community service.
He had an initial appearance in federal court to face the murder charges against him on Nov. 10. It’s unclear whether he has retained an attorney.
An MSC Cruises spokesperson told ABC News that they are "cooperating fully with the investigation and providing support to those impacted.”
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After returning to port Nov. 9, the cruise continued on its planned journey.
"As this is an active investigation, we cannot provide more details," the MSC Cruises spokesperson said. "Our thoughts are with the guest's family and friends at this difficult time.”
Along with the FBI, the investigation is also receiving assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard, Port of Galveston Police Department, Customs and Border Protection, and the cruise ship company.