The Texas wife allegedly killed by her abusive husband on a cruise ship was a high-flying business graduate from Colorado Tech University who rose through the ranks at Target.
Susan Watford, 31, was aboard the MSC Seascape with her 48-year-old husband, Jason Watford, when he allegedly strangled her in their cabin – in the presence of a child – after an argument at dinner, according to court documents seen by The Post.
His body was found by a cleaning lady who came to collect towels.
Jason Watford was arrested when the ship returned to port in Texas early Monday morning.
He was charged with murder after admitting to the FBI that he snapped — and strangled her “for approximately four to five minutes,” only releasing her hands when he was “exhausted,” according to the documents.
Photos of his murdered wife have since surfaced on LinkedIn – where she proudly documented her rise through the ranks of Target.
Susan Watford, who lived in Tyler, started in 2019 as a warehouse associate before enrolling at Colorado Technical University in 2021 for a business degree, graduating summa cum laude, or “with highest honors.”
She then became manager of the Target warehouse team in May 2024, a role she held at the time of her death, according to her LinkedIn.
The Watfords were scheduled to embark on a weeklong cruise to Honduras and Mexico, embarking in Galveston, Texas, on Sunday, hours before she was found dead.
The two men argued while dining at one of the ship’s restaurants – with the argument continuing in the couple’s cabin, according to the documents.
The husband admitted that the fight caused him to “snap” and attack his wife “multiple times,” leaving her with a bloody mouth, according to the documents.
He then strangled his wife with both hands, wrapping his right arm around her neck and applying pressure “for approximately four to five minutes and released his hold after he was exhausted,” the documents state.
Jason Watford allegedly killed his wife while a child was present in the room, the FBI revealed Tuesday, without specifying whether it was the Watfords’ own child. The child is unhurt and is currently in foster care.
It is unclear exactly when Susan Watford was killed, but her body was spotted by a housekeeper who had knocked on the couple’s door to drop off towels just after 9 p.m. on Sunday – about 90 minutes after Jason Watford returned to the room.
The husband opened the door and the housekeeper saw the motionless body and blood on Jason’s clothes, according to the documents.
Jason Watford then changed clothes, left the cabin and was seen sitting in the hallway scrolling on his phone.
Susan Watford was found with “multiple facial injuries”, while her husband was detained by ship security.
The suspected killer was removed from the ship upon its return to Galveston Monday morning – before the cruise continued its itinerary. He was arrested and charged with murder.
Following his arrest, it emerged that Jason Watford had already pleaded guilty to causing bodily harm after grabbing his wife’s wrist amid an argument over money.
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