Susan Watford, a 31-year-old woman from Texas, was allegedly killed by her husband, Jason Watford, aboard an MSC Seascape cruise ship shortly after departure from the Galveston port in Texas on November 8, 2026, per WUSA9.

The incident is reportedly linked to domestic violence as the Federal Bureau of Investigation identified the victim’s 48-year-old husband as a suspect. He was arrested on November 9, 2026, and appeared in a Galveston federal court the next day.

According to the Southern District of Texas Galveston Division, Watford told the federal prosecutors that he had an argument with his wife, which later escalated when they went to their cabin. He said it caused him to “snap”, and he struck his wife multiple times. He also admitted to strangling Susan Watford.

She was later found dead in the room by a housekeeper, who raised alarm after spotting blood on Jason’s clothes. FBI said that a child was at the scene when the incident took place. However, Child Protective Services confirmed that the child is now safe and is currently in foster care.

More details on Susan Watford’s murder on MSC Seascape cruise ship

Susan Watford’s mother, Dorothy Mast, said that she pleaded with her daughter not to board the MSC Seascape cruise ship with her husband, Jason Watford.

Mast, who is Watford’s adoptive mother, told KPRC that she was aware of the 2024 case in which Watford was convicted of assaulting his wife, and said:

“As she told me, ‘Mama, he did everything the court said he had to do. He took his anger management classes. He did his counseling. He did his community service.”

Mast added:

“I asked her not to go. She said, ‘I need to do it for me, Mama’.…I tried calling her. She didn’t answer. So I figured, well, you know, she’s busy.”

Mast said that she was worried about her daughter traveling with him, but Susan saw it as an opportunity to reconcile her marriage. Susan Watford was a mom of three and had been living separately from her husband since 2024, following a domestic violence incident. Her youngest, a baby, was aboard the ship when she was allegedly murdered on the cruise ship. She shared her other two children with a different partner.

The 7-night cruise ship departed from Galveston, Texas, on November 8, 2026, and had scheduled stops in Mexico and Honduras. The ship turned around on authorities’ orders and docked in Galveston on Monday morning, November 9, 2026, where Jason Watford was taken into federal custody.

According to a report in The Post, Jason Watford admitted to FBI investigators that he choked his wife with both hands and wrapped his right arm around her neck from behind while she was lying down. He added that he applied pressure to Susan’s neck for about four to five minutes before releasing his hold because he was exhausted.

The affidavit states that Susan lay motionless on the cabin floor for about 10 minutes before a housekeeper knocked on the door. Reportedly, Watford did not inform ship security or medical personnel while Susan Watford was lying motionless on the floor. The documents claimed that he was even later seen scrolling on his cellphone after the killing.

Paying tribute to her daughter, Mast said that Susan left the Amish community when she was 15. She described her as a “great daughter” who “liked to learn.”

An unidentified family member told ABC News that Susan was the “best mom” to her three children. They added that she was “responsible” and a hard worker.

According to a report in The Post, Susan started as a warehouse associate at Target in 2019 before rising to a leadership position at the retailer. She attended Colorado Technical University from 2021 to 2024, where she earned a business degree. She graduated summa cum laude, or “with highest honor.” In May 2024, Susan became a Target warehouse team lead.

Jason Watford did not enter a plea at a court hearing scheduled for November 10, 2026, and he remains in federal custody.

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