The grandmother of an 18-year-old woman found dead on a Carnival cruise ship has described the victim's stepbrother as an 'emotional mess' when he was interrogated by police. Anna Kepner was discovered on November 7 in her cabin during a Caribbean holiday with her blended family.
A Tragic Discovery at Sea
Anna Kepner, from Titusville, Florida, was found wrapped in a blanket and covered with life vests. The grim discovery was made aboard the Carnival Horizon while the ship was sailing in international waters between Mexico and Florida. The family was on a six-day getaway when the tragedy struck.
Authorities have since confirmed that Anna's cause of death was asphyxiation via a bar hold, meaning an arm was pressed across her neck. Her 16-year-old stepbrother has been named as a suspect in the ongoing murder investigation.
Family's Shock and Suspect's Breakdown
Speaking to Good Morning America on Monday, Anna's grandmother, Barbara Kepner, expressed the family's profound shock that the quiet, soccer-playing teenager was accused. She described the pair as being 'like brother and sister' and highlighted that he was a good student.
Barbara revealed the suspect 'had demons in his past and was trying to deal with those'. She recounted his emotional state during the police interview, stating, 'I heard him say in his own words that he does not remember what happened.' She added, 'During his police interview he was an emotional mess, he couldn't speak, he couldn't believe what happened.'
Unanswered Questions in the Cabin
The grieving grandmother said the family remains bewildered about the events inside Anna's cabin. '(Her stepbrother) was in the room with her, he was the only one seen coming and going,' she continued. While she expressed her personal turmoil, she conceded, 'I cant accuse him because I don't know what happened in that room, but the summation would be that he did something.'
The Daily Mail was the first to report that the 16-year-old stepbrother was under investigation as a 'suspect' in the death. The case continues as authorities piece together the final moments of Anna Kepner's life.
