More than three months after Anna Kepner’s death aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship during a family vacation, prosecutors have charged her unidentified 16-year-old stepbrother with her murder. Investigators honed in on the teenage boy as the prime suspect early on. The pair shared a stateroom during their vacation and allegedly had a strange relationship. A housekeeper found the 18-year-old dead under a bed inside the room on November 8, 2025. Early on, police revealed very few details about the crime, but as time passes, we’re learning more about what really happened that fateful night.
The Daily Mail reported Anna died from asphyxiation by a bar hold. It appears the suspect held his arm across her neck, killing her. According to court documents obtained by WESH, the teenager’s biological father, Thomas Hudson, now wants sole custody of his son. Hudson currently shares custody with the teenager’s mother, Shauntel Hudson, and her husband, Chris Kepner, Anna’s father.
“According to social media from the Kepner family, on Feb. 3, 2026, the petitioner/father’s son was charged by the United States Attorney in the Southern District of Florida for … and homicide of Anna Kepner,” the document states.
Following Anna’s death, Shauntel Hudson and Chris Kepner allegedly made the boy leave their home, according to the affidavit.
“Immediately after the cruise, the respondent/mother and Chris Kepner expelled [the minor] from their household, and neither has seen [the minor] since then,” the document notes, per WESH.
The filing added harsh words about the Kepner family. “Social media from the Kepner family has indicated that they want the ‘nails in the coffin’ of [the minor] and that both the Kepner family and the Respondent ‘want him buried,’” it reads.
The teenager appeared in court earlier this month, but the record remains sealed. As of now, the suspect’s name, exact charges, and Anna’s cause of death remain sealed because of his age. If the court decides to charge him as an adult, that could all change.
“At this time, it is deeply painful and disturbing to our family that the person responsible is able to walk freely. This reality adds to our grief and outrage,” Anna’s father shared in a statement with People in early February. “It is devastating to know that while we live every day with the loss of our child, the individual responsible has not yet been fully held accountable.”
This appears to be two fathers who both love their children and want justice. It’s a horrific situation, but if the 16-year-old truly killed Anna, he should be held accountable.
