The death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard a Carnival cruise ship is now under intense scrutiny, with her 16-year-old stepbrother emerging as a suspect. Kepner’s body was discovered on November 7th, concealed under a bed in her cabin and wrapped in a blanket, a day after she reportedly retreated to her room feeling unwell. The ship was situated in international waters between Mexico and Florida at the time of the incident, prompting a complex jurisdictional investigation. A cabin maid discovered Kepner’s body around 11 a.m., after her absence was noted by her father and stepmother during breakfast.
Court filings have revealed the stepbrother’s potential involvement, with Kepner’s stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, acknowledging in legal documents that he is a suspect in the ongoing investigation. The incident underscores the challenges of investigating crimes that occur in international waters, where legal jurisdiction can be ambiguous and involve multiple authorities. As of 2023, cruise ship crime investigations have seen increased scrutiny and collaboration between international law enforcement agencies to address such complex cases, though the specific details of jurisdictional handling in this case remain to be determined as the investigation unfolds.