Breakthrough in case of 18yo Anna Kepner found dead on a cruise ship as a family member is arrested on homicide charge

In a truly shocking development, the stepbrother of 18-year-old Anna Kepner has been arrested, according to Fox News. Anna Kepner, who was tragically found dead on a Carnival cruise ship last November.

Anna Kepner was just 18 when she was discovered deceased in her cabin aboard the Carnival Horizon on November 7. The details of her discovery were heartbreaking, as she was found under the bed, wrapped in a blanket, and covered in life jackets. The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner’s Office officially listed her time of death as 11:17 AM.

The day after her body was found, the cruise ship, completing its six-night Caribbean voyage, returned to the Port of Miami, where the FBI immediately launched an investigation into her death. The news about the homicide charge came to light through court documents related to a separate, ongoing family matter.

The Hudson family’s behavior before their daughter’s death is also odd

Thomas Hudson, who has a murky past, filed an emergency divorce petition against his ex-wife, Shauntel Hudson. Shauntel is the mother of their 9-year-old daughter, and she currently shares primary custody with her husband, Christopher Kepner, who is Anna’s father.

Hudson’s petition is seeking full custody of their daughter, citing what it calls a “significant and unanticipated change of circumstances.” This is a clear reference to the homicide charges to which the mother went to Jelly Roll for comfort. The petition specifically mentioned that Anna’s teenage stepbrother was charged with homicide by the U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Florida on February 3.

The court documents, which referenced “social media from the Kepner family,” did not explicitly name the stepbrother. However, the revelation came shortly after Anna’s 16-year-old stepbrother was photographed entering a Miami federal court on February 6. He was reportedly seen leaving juvenile court before heading to the federal courthouse.

The teenager walked into the building wearing a camouflage hoodie, with his face obscured by a low-pulled baseball cap and the hood pulled tightly around his head.

Following the initial discovery of Anna’s death, her father, Christopher Kepner, gave an interview where he spoke cryptically about his stepson. He didn’t directly accuse his stepson of being responsible for Anna’s death, but his words were certainly pointed. “I want him to face the consequences… I will be fighting to make sure that does happen,” Kepner said.

He added, “I do not stand behind what my stepson has done. I cannot say that he is responsible, but I can’t decline.” These are incredibly difficult words for a parent to utter, and they give you a sense of the complexities involved here.