Texas man charged in cruise ship killing had argued with wife in their cabin, FBI says

A cruise ship passenger accused of killing his wife after the vessel set off from Texas allegedly told authorities that he struck her in their cabin after an argument caused him to “snap,” according to court documents.Jason Watford, 48, appeared in federal court Tuesday on a murder charge in Galveston, where the MSC Seascape had departed over the weekend but returned to port after security aboard the ship discovered a body in his room, according to an FBI affidavit.The victim was identified as Susan Watford, the suspect's wife, FBI spokesman Connor Hagan said. He added that a child was found unharmed when law enforcement responded. Court records show that Jason Watford had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of assaulting his wife in 2024.Javier Martinez, a public defender assigned to represent Jason Watford, did not respond to a phone message Tuesday. A man who said he is Watford’s son declined to comment when reached by phone.Couple had boarded the ship together, authorities sayThe