Stepbrother charged in homicide of teen found dead on cruise ship
02/24/2026 4:22 pm PST
TITUSVILLE, Fla. (TCN) -- The 16-year-old stepbrother of Anna Kepner, who was found dead on a cruise ship in November 2025, has been charged with her homicide, according to an unrelated emergency motion related to custody.
On Nov. 7, 2025, 18-year-old Kepner was found dead under a bed on a cruise ship while on vacation with her family. Her stepbrother, whose name has not been released by authorities due to his age, was named a suspect in her death. Although the manner of death has not been shared publicly by the FBI, a source briefed on the investigation told ABC News that Kepner died of asphyxiation from a bar hold and had two bruises on the side of her neck.
People reports that on Feb. 20, Thomas Hudson, the father of the suspect, filed an emergency petition for custody of his 9-year-old daughter, who was primarily living with his ex-wife, Shauntel Hudson, and Kepner’s father, Chris Kepner. It said, “There has been a significant and unanticipated change in circumstances that requires the immediate transfer of sole time sharing and parental responsibility.”
The redacted filing obtained by WESH states that Kepner’s stepbrother was charged with homicide on Feb. 3. “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 also says, “Immediately after the cruise, the respondent/mother and Chris Kepner expelled [the minor] from their household, and neither has seen [the minor] since then,” and “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.’”
Kepner’s stepbrother appeared in federal court in Miami, Florida, on Feb. 6, according to WESH, but due to his age, media was not allowed in the courtroom, nor were they told why he was there. That day, the magistrate judge’s agenda had a sealed case on the agenda, and the case number was also sealed.
CBS reports that Dave Aronberg, a former Palm Beach, Florida, state attorney, said federal charges are typically under seal because of the protections for minors under federal law. If the person is later charged as an adult, the indictment could become unsealed. “If it’s a juvenile, you won’t know until he’s charged as an adult,” he said.
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