Anna Kepner’s brother heard ‘yelling,’ commotion in her cruise cabin night before she was found dead: report
Anna Kepner, an 18‑year‑old cheerleader from Florida, was found dead on the Carnival Horizon cruise ship on November 8. Authorities say she died from strangulation, likely a bar‑hold assault, with bruises on her throat and no signs of drugs or alcohol in her system.
A younger brother of Anna heard loud shouting and chairs being thrown inside the locked cabin where Anna was staying last night before she was discovered. The noises were said to have come from Anna’s 16‑year‑old stepbrother, who investigators are now treating as a primary suspect.
Anna’s ex‑boyfriend told Inside Edition that Anna did not feel safe around the stepbrother. He also said Anna had once reported sexual harassment by the stepbrother, but she was afraid to speak up for fear of retaliation. His former partner’s father added that the stepbrother had a disturbing fixation on Anna and once climbed on top of her while she slept. He allegedly carried a large knife and was known for pressuring her to date him.
The Florida teen, nicknamed “Anna Banana” by family, was in her pre‑graduation summer of 2025 when she was found under her cabin bed, wrapped in a blanket and surrounded by life vests. Her family says she loved beach days, water activities, and was preparing to graduate from Temple Christian School in Titusville. She also intended to join the U.S. Navy and later become a K‑9 police officer.
Court papers filed by her stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, show the FBI is focusing on the stepbrother as a potential suspect. No definitive motive or turning point has yet been released, and federal investigators have kept details to a minimum.
Anna’s funeral took place on Thursday night amid family drama. Her mother was barred from attending due to long‑standing family tensions, but reportedly wore a wig and slipped in secretly.
The investigation into Anna Kepner’s death continues, with the FBI and local law enforcement working to uncover what happened on the Carnival cruise and identify the person responsible.
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