Passenger arrested over alleged murder on cruise ship

On November 9, 2026, the MSC Seascape cruise ship returned to port in Galveston, Texas, after authorities ordered it back from a seven-day Caribbean voyage due to a suspected homicide. The victim was identified as a female guest by the Galveston Medical Examiner’s Office, and an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday. The FBI's Houston field office began investigating what they labeled as a "suspected homicide," with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard, Port of Galveston Police Department, Customs and Border Protection, and MSC Cruises. On November 10, Jason Leon Watford was arrested and taken to the Galveston County Jail on an FBI hold. The exact timing and circumstances of the murder remain unclear.