Federal investigators have uncovered new details in the mysterious death of 18-year-old Florida cheerleader Anna Kepner, whose body was discovered aboard the Carnival Horizon earlier this month. Preliminary findings suggest her death resulted from asphyxiation consistent with a “bar hold” choke—an injury caused by another person’s arm applying pressure to the neck, according to a source close to the investigation. The source also shared that FBI investigators identified two distinct bruises on Anna’s neck that appear to align with this mechanism. While early toxicology results showed no signs of drugs, alcohol, or sexual assault, officials say the final autopsy report from the Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner is still pending.
Anna was found on November 8 by a cabin steward who discovered her wrapped in a blanket and partially concealed beneath a bed, with life vests covering part of her body. The teen had been on a six-day Caribbean cruise with her father, Christopher Kepner, her stepmother, Shauntel Hudson, and other members of her blended family. Investigators say Anna was last seen alive returning to her cabin after dinner, telling relatives she felt sick. Surveillance later confirmed she never exited the cabin again, leading authorities to focus closely on the timeline inside the room that night.
As the investigation deepens, new allegations have surfaced regarding the behavior of Anna’s 16-year-old stepbrother, Timothy Hudson, who has been referenced in recently filed court documents connected to the case. Anna’s former boyfriend, Joshua Tew, told investigators that Hudson had displayed what he called “obsessive and inappropriate” behavior toward Anna. Tew claimed that during a past FaceTime call, he witnessed Hudson enter Anna’s room and allegedly climb on top of her while she slept. He also stated that Anna felt uncomfortable around him and believed he often carried a knife. These claims have not been confirmed by law enforcement.
Additional tension surfaced in a separate legal filing, in which Anna’s stepmother wrote that a “criminal case may be initiated against one of the minor children” concerning Anna’s death. The family strain was evident during Anna’s funeral in Orlando, where multiple attendees described significant tension and said some relatives were asked not to attend amid the ongoing criminal investigation. Anna’s biological mother, Heather Wright, tearfully told mourners she learned of her daughter’s death online after being unable to reach family members.
Based on statements and reports, investigators have outlined key moments leading up to the discovery of Anna’s body. She returned to her cabin alone on November 6, followed later by her two brothers. One briefly left to take photos and returned, believing Anna was elsewhere. By the next morning, she was reported missing, and crew members found her body during a welfare check near the bunk assigned to her brothers. No arrests have been made, and the FBI continues to lead the investigation because the incident occurred in international waters aboard a U.S.-flagged ship.
As forensic analysis continues and interviews expand, the case remains open and closely watched across the nation. Friends, classmates, and community members who knew Anna through cheerleading, school, and church are mourning her tragic loss while awaiting answers about the final moments of her life.
