Anna Kepner, a cheerleader from Florida, was discovered lifeless on a Carnival cruise ship, reportedly strangled in a bar hold. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation, with two distinct bruises on the side of her throat. This information was disclosed to the press on Friday by a source close to the investigation.
Kepner’s body was found on November 8 on the Carnival Horizon cruise ship, concealed under a bed, swathed in a blanket, and covered with life vests. The same source confirmed that there were no indications of sexual assault, and no traces of drugs or alcohol were detected in her system.
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office and the FBI have yet to comment on these new findings. The identity of the individual who committed the crime and subsequently concealed Kepner’s body remains a mystery. However, it has been reported that her step-brother had been previously interrogated by the FBI.
Kepner was on a six-day Caribbean cruise with her blended family when a housekeeper made the shocking discovery on November 7. Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother had allegedly exhibited an unsettling fixation with her, persistently pursuing a relationship and was even once found on top of her while she was sleeping.
The father of Kepner’s former boyfriend told Inside Edition, “She was terrified of him because he always carried a large knife. He was infatuated with her, attracted to her like crazy. He always wanted to date her.” Despite attempts to alert Kepner’s parents, they did not heed the concerned teenager’s warnings.
The family was reportedly riddled with tension, much of it originating from the parents. Kepner’s stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, and her ex-husband were embroiled in a bitter custody dispute over their two children, whom Hudson alleged were physically abused by their father.
Adding to the family’s turmoil, Kepner’s mother claimed she was barred from attending her daughter’s funeral due to ongoing family disputes. Kepner, a high school senior at Temple Christian School in Titusville, Florida, had plans to graduate in the spring. She aspired to join the US Navy and eventually become a K-9 police officer, according to her mother.