Anna Kepner was on a cruise with eight members of her blended family when her body was found stuffed under a bed and covered with blankets and life vests
The main suspect in the death of an 18-year-old teenager who was found dead stashed under a bed on a Carnival cruise with her family has said he ‘doesn’t remember what happened’ to the youngster.
The 16-year-old step-brother of Anna Kepner, from Florida, is the main suspect in her murder after authorities revealed he was the only one seen on security footage going in and out of the bedroom they were sharing with one other teenager while on the ship.
Anna’s body was found by the cleaning staff on the cruise stuffed under a bed and covered with blankets and life vests. Speaking out following her death, Anna’s grandmother, Barbara Kepner said that when her father entered the room and looked at his daughter he “knew she was gone”.
Anna – described as an independent and “mighty” young woman – had been on the cruise with eight members of her blended family when she was killed.
She had been set to graduate in May and had hoped to join the Navy, according to her family.
Speaking to ABC News, her grandfather, Jeffrey, said: “We were looking forward to seeing her grow. The cruise itself wasn’t what made me excited – it was the fact that I was going to get to spend another week with youngest son and his family and all the grandkids.”
Her grandmother said: “We were all having a great time. I couldn’t fathom why anyone would want to hurt my baby.”
Although they were step-siblings, Barbara described the family dynamic as “all just family” and that Anna and her step-brother “cared about each other in the right way.”
Speaking about the last time they saw Anna alive, the teen’s grandparents said her braces had been bothering her at dinner but, after spending some time in her room, she came back down and played in the casino. She told her grandparents she loved them before leaving again.
Barbara said: “She’d pop in and out to check in with us. And we never saw her again after that.”
The next morning Jeffrey was buying bingo cards when he heard a medical alert blaring and recognized the room number.
Of the moment, Jeffrey said: “I went blank.” The grandfather had hoped it was merely a minor incident but was left horrified when he walked into the room.
“I still wake up seeing that,” he said. According to the Kepners, Anna’s body had been found “concealed under the bed” and she’d sustained bruises to the side of her neck.
Anna’s death had been ruled a homicide and her family say the FBI has told them she died by asphyxiation, possibly resulting from a bar hold which when an arm is placed across the neck.
Barbara revealed that Anna’s stepbrother told the family he doesn’t remember how she died. Barbara said: “In his own words he said he does not remember what happened. I believe, to him, that is his truth.” She added: “I can’t accuse him because I don’t know what happened in that room.”
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