FL - Anna Kepner, 18, dies aboard Carnival cruise ship traveling from Miami to Caribbean, FBI launch probe, 7 Nov 2025

[Ghostwheel]

While he wasn't there on the cruise, he was on Face time with her when an incident occurred with the 16-year-old step brother. His father also confirmed that he had told him about the incident. I fail to see an obvious motive for this boy and his father to lie about Anna.

I'm not sure anyone said the ex boyfriend lied about Anna. He had an emotional take on whatever happened, so IMO, take it with a grain of salt since it is bound to be biased. He might have misinterpreted the situation (or not). He might have thought it was more than it was (or not). Anna is not here to say whether it was a freakazoid attack, someone seriously stretching boundaries or a poor life goofing around choice.

My own comment was just that I find it very odd that only the ex-boyfriend has spoken out. Normally everyone and their brother crawls out of the woodwork and has their take on the situation, but except for him, no one has said anything. And then he just disappeared and didn't make the rounds retelling his story. While I do not disbelieve he believes he saw something that was inappropriate, IMO something is going on with the narrative for a reason we do not know.

 

[steeltowngirl]

Interestingly, the DM has changed their reported versions of events. Was the ex-bf not a reliable source or did the 14 year old retract his claims of screaming after he learned the hallway had surveillance of everyone coming and going?

Maybe DM just made up misreported some of the original story?

 

[MistyWaters]

Maybe DM just made up misreported some of the original story?

Could be possible, that’s for sure.

 

[steeltowngirl]

And this can't be the first murder on a cruise ship.

You prompted me to go check google for an answer to this. This lawyer said the cruise murder rate is very low - less than 0.1 % Cruise Ship Murders: What You Need To Know | Louis A. Vucci. P.A.

I could only find 4 examples of Incidents:

• Kenneth Manzanares (2017):
  Murdered his wife, Kristy, on the Emerald Princess in Alaskan waters; sentenced to 30 years.
• MSC Virtuosa (2025):
  A man was arrested for murder on this ship, highlighting ongoing security concerns.
• Shirley McGill (July 2009): A woman was found deceased in her cabin on a Carnival ship; her husband was arrested for murder.
• Michael Virgil (2023): A passenger died from body compression while being restrained by crew members after becoming agitated on a Royal Caribbean ship; his death was ruled a homicide, leading to a lawsuit.

 

[Arkay]

You prompted me to go check google for an answer to this. This lawyer said the cruise murder rate is very low - less than 0.1 % Cruise Ship Murders: What You Need To Know | Louis A. Vucci. P.A.

I could only find 4 examples of Incidents:

• Kenneth Manzanares (2017):
  Murdered his wife, Kristy, on the Emerald Princess in Alaskan waters; sentenced to 30 years.
• MSC Virtuosa (2025):
  A man was arrested for murder on this ship, highlighting ongoing security concerns.
• Shirley McGill (July 2009): A woman was found deceased in her cabin on a Carnival ship; her husband was arrested for murder.
• Michael Virgil (2023): A passenger died from body compression while being restrained by crew members after becoming agitated on a Royal Caribbean ship; his death was ruled a homicide, leading to a lawsuit.

There’s also this:

Disappearance of George Smith - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I remember this case too well, because one of my sweetest adolescent students grew up to be a participant in this incident. Shocked all of us, we couldn’t believe it.

The title says “disappearance” because murder was never established, but police did think it was a homicide and people were arrested for the presumed murder.

 

[Mauritius]

IMO, we have to take statements from everywhere with a grain of salt. From NANCY GRACE: Anna Kepner's death investigation was botched from start

"Kepner's grandmother, Barbara, told GMA last month that security footage showed the 16-year-old and Kepner were the only people inside the room at the time."

HOW did the footage show this? Because there was video of all three entering and the 14 yo just leaving? Because there was video of all three entering, the 14 yo leaving, coming back then trying to get back into the room, but could not, so leaving again? Because the video showed just the two of them entering the room, and when the 14 yo arrived he could not get in the room so left to take pictures? What isn't said is as important as what IS said, IMO. So many times things get left out, whether to protect someone or the case or because it's not important for the public to know, though it may come out in court.

RE: the ex boyfriend. I find it strange he is the ONLY one who has spoken out. He may have had an ulterior motive, but no one else has said anything? That always makes me go Hmmm.

And your comment got me thinking - was grandmother (or any family members) actually shown the footage, by the cruise ship? Any of it, let alone all of it? I’m realizing - she may well be relaying what she heard about the footage, and she may have heard that from her son/new daughter in law, from what they were told by investigators… and it may well have been rephrased/interpreted at each retelling (I mean unintentionally). This might not be very “direct” knowledge about footage at all.

 

[Stunned]

I'm not sure anyone said the ex boyfriend lied about Anna. He had an emotional take on whatever happened, so IMO, take it with a grain of salt since it is bound to be biased. He might have misinterpreted the situation (or not). He might have thought it was more than it was (or not). Anna is not here to say whether it was a freakazoid attack, someone seriously stretching boundaries or a poor life goofing around choice.

My own comment was just that I find it very odd that only the ex-boyfriend has spoken out. Normally everyone and their brother crawls out of the woodwork and has their take on the situation, but except for him, no one has said anything. And then he just disappeared and didn't make the rounds retelling his story. While I do not disbelieve he believes he saw something that was inappropriate, IMO something is going on with the narrative for a reason we do not know.

I also find it very odd no one else has spoken out for Anna. I wonder if that was because she had changed schools 3 times recently? Still she had to have close girlfriends, where are they? IMO

 

[steeltowngirl]

I also find it very odd no one else has spoken out for Anna. I wonder if that was because she had changed schools 3 times recently? Still she had to have close girlfriends, where are they? IMO

The media probably doesn’t know who to approach, or they are minors and their families have turned journalists away. At least one friend honored Anna’s memory shortly after her death.

Friends devastated by Titusville teen's death aboard Carnival cruise ship; FBI investigation ongoing

Friends and classmates are mourning the loss of 18-year-old Anna Kepner of Titusville, who died over the weekend while on the Carnival Horizon cruise ship.

www.fox35orlando.com

 

[Synergizer Bunny]

There’s also this:

Disappearance of George Smith - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I remember this case too well, because one of my sweetest adolescent students grew up to be a participant in this incident. Shocked all of us, we couldn’t believe it.

The title says “disappearance” because murder was never established, but police did think it was a homicide and people were arrested for the presumed murder.

I remember this case. So tragic. I think that George was murdered. I didn't realize that anyone was arrested. Those Russian kids seemed pretty nefarious. Was anything stolen from his cabin? I always thought that the goal was to get him drunk, take him back to his cabin and rob him. Maybe, he awoke and they panicked, thinking that he could identify them as the thieves??

Plus, was Jennifer drugged that night? I wonder if she was raped by a crew member? Didn't they find her asleep on the floor on a different section of the ship?

The FBI investigated this case, too. I never saw the end results.

JMO.

 

[lonetraveler]

They would have taken statements before they disembarked. They were most likely held at the terminal for investigators. They probably also had the room secured with live guard before they got back to the port. They are not stupid on the ships and know they need to watch their accountability to law enforcement.
I don't necessarily believe the ex. He is an ex for a reason... and def. jumped on media RIGHT AWAY.

I know the ship has security and secured the area. I'm more concerned that the 14 yr old could have been coerced into making a statement influenced by his stepmother.

 

[lonetraveler]

There’s also this:

Disappearance of George Smith - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I remember this case too well, because one of my sweetest adolescent students grew up to be a participant in this incident. Shocked all of us, we couldn’t believe it.

The title says “disappearance” because murder was never established, but police did think it was a homicide and people were arrested for the presumed murder.

I've always thought that George Smith was murdered.

 

[Kakidoll]

I know the ship has security and secured the area. I'm more concerned that the 14 yr old could have been coerced into making a statement influenced by his stepmother.

they had a whole day to think about what to say.. and to get stories straight. We'll never truly know, IMO

 

[Mauritius]

Interestingly, the DM has changed their reported versions of events. Was the ex-bf not a reliable source or did the 14 year old retract his claims of screaming after he learned the hallway had surveillance of everyone coming and going?

NANCY GRACE: Anna Kepner's death investigation was botched from start

Almost one month on from the death of the cheerleader on board a Carnival cruise ship, no charges have been filed and no arrests made.

www.dailymail.co.uk

FROM THIS >>>>
On the night of November 6 - hours before Kepner's body was found - her 14-year-old brother heard screaming and what sounded like chairs being thrown inside the cabin that he shared with Kepner and the 16-year-old, the Daily Mail previously reported.…..

>>>>>TO THIS (gone is any mention of the 14 year old getting locked out of the room)
“….She was last seen at dinner with her family on November 6. After complaining about feeling unwell, she headed back to her room, the Daily Mail previously revealed.

Later, her half-brother and stepbrother went back to the shared room - the 14-year-old then left to take photos of the ship. By the time he returned, his sister appeared to be gone.

The 14-year-old went to sleep, unaware that his sister's body was lying hidden beneath a neighboring bed…”

And neither version includes casino with grandparents after dinner - I believe grandmother indicated that happened - which makes the timeline far more complicated.