Teen Stepbrother Arrested in Chilling Carnival Cruise Murder of Cheerleader – Shocking Details Emerge Months Later
Is it just me, or does the idea of a family vacation turning into a chilling crime scene on a Carnival cruise feel like the plot of a twisted soap opera? Anna Kepner, an 18-year-old Florida high school cheerleader with her whole life ahead of her, was found dead under a bed aboard the Carnival Horizon during what was supposed to be a memorable trip with family. The shock? Her 16-year-old stepbrother, who battles ADHD and insomnia, has been charged with her homicide, stirring a whirlwind of secrets, strained relationships, and frantic attempts to hush up the tragedy. How does a getaway meant for bonding unravel into accusations, custody battles, and whispered cover-ups? Grab your detective hats, because this is one mystery that hits way too close to home. LEARN MORE
Anna was found dead aboard a Carnival cruise ship during a family vacation in November, and the stepbrother was immediately identified as a prime suspect.
An emergency filing in another lawsuit revealed the stepbrother is the main suspect and is facing two charges. The filing comes from the boy’s biological father, who has been asking for sole custody of the teen.
In the emergency filing, dated Feb. 20, attorneys for Thomas Hudson, the stepbrother’s father, wrote: “According to social media from the Kepner family, on February 3, 2026, the Petitioner/Father’s son, TH, was charged by the United States Attorney in the Southern District of Florida for the [redacted] and homicide of Anna Kepner.”
It goes on to claim that, “immediately after the cruise, the respondent/mother and Chris Kepner expelled [the minor] from their household and neither has seen [the minor] since then.”
Her ex-boyfriend has claimed her stepbrother was “infatuated” with her, and she said she didn’t feel safe around him in the months before her death.
After her body was discovered, text exchanges between Anna’s stepmom, Shauntel Hudson-Kepner, and her ex-husband, Hudson, reveal their frantic attempt to “control the story,” while keeping certain facts and even the boy’s connection to Anna guarded.
Hudson texted: “OK, I know everything is supposed to be hush hush for now but ive seen that it is still getting out with post and comments between facebook tiktok and stuff … i just want to make sure until things are certain that he doesn’t get an(y) unnecessary comments towards him.”
“Nobody knows anything about him. He is a minor and has been kept completely out of it we have not said anything to anybody and we are going to try out best to keep it completely out,” she sent.
“He is a minor so his name shouldn’t be anywhere and when we talk to the fbi again we will reiterate that we do not want his name out there and everything that’s been posted on tiktok and social media nobody knows anything and everybody’s just speculating.
“We know what i told you last night and we’ll know exactly more when the autopsy is done. Once we get the autopsy today, depending on what it says, depend on whether he’s booked on those charges.”
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