ORLANDO, Fla. – A Florida judge’s recent decision to keep a tangled custody battle in the public eye is cracking open the door to fresh revelations about the chilling final moments of 18-year-old Anna Kepner’s life aboard a Carnival cruise ship. The ruling, handed down this week in Brevard County Circuit Court, denies a motion to seal records in a dispute between Kepner’s stepmother and her ex-husband – a case now inextricably linked to the FBI’s homicide probe into the high school cheerleader’s death. For a family fractured by grief and suspicion, it’s a potential breakthrough that could force long-silenced witnesses, including Kepner’s own father, to the stand.

Kepner, a vibrant straight-A student from Titusville with dreams of joining the Navy as a K9 handler, was found lifeless in a cabin on the Carnival Horizon on November 7, 2025 – just one day into what was meant to be a celebratory family getaway from Miami. The ship, packed with passengers enjoying tropical breezes and onboard entertainment, docked the next morning in PortMiami amid a swirl of emergency lights and whispered rumors. Housekeeping staff discovered the teen’s body stuffed under a bed around 11:15 a.m., her time of death later pegged at 11:17 a.m. by the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office. What followed was a two-week veil of secrecy, with federal investigators stonewalling the press and the public alike, fueling a frenzy of online speculation from true-crime forums to social media threads.

Now, with the death officially ruled a homicide by “mechanical asphyxia” – a grim determination that someone deliberately cut off her airway, possibly with an arm in a bar hold across the neck – the pieces are falling into place, and they’re pointing uncomfortably close to home. Court documents unsealed in the custody skirmish explicitly name Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother as the prime suspect in the FBI’s ongoing investigation. The teen, whose initials appear as “T.H.” in filings to protect his identity as a minor, shared a cabin with Kepner and another stepsibling during the voyage. Sources close to the probe tell CBS News that agents are poring over surveillance footage, electronic keycard logs, and the victim’s cellphone records to reconstruct who entered the room and when. No arrests have been made, and the FBI has issued only a terse statement: They don’t comment on active cases except in extraordinary circumstances.

The custody case at the heart of this week’s ruling isn’t directly about Kepner’s death – it’s a bitter divorce feud between her stepmother, Shauntel Hudson Kepner, and ex-husband Thomas Hudson over custody of their shared children, including the alleged suspect. Hudson, who was on the cruise with her new husband Christopher Kepner (Anna’s father), two stepkids, and Anna’s grandparents, filed an emergency motion on November 20 to slap a gag order on the proceedings, dubbing the teen’s passing a “suspected murder.” Her attorney, Millicent Athanason, argued in court that the media “hounding” had turned the family’s private hell into a spectacle, and that the FBI had already cleared Hudson of any involvement. But Thomas Hudson fired back with his own filing the day before, highlighting the stepson’s suspect status as grounds for immediate custody changes – a move that inadvertently thrust the cruise nightmare into the spotlight.

Judge Jessica Recksiedler wasn’t swayed. In a ruling issued November 26, she rejected the sealing request outright, paving the way for public access to future filings and testimony. That means Christopher Kepner, subpoenaed to testify about the events at sea, could soon be compelled to detail what he knows – under oath, in open court. In an exclusive interview with People magazine just days before Thanksgiving, the grieving father didn’t mince words about his stepson: “I cannot say that he is responsible, but I can’t decline” the possibility, adding that the boy should “face the consequences” if evidence mounts. He described the siblings as once being “like brother and sister,” thick as thieves in happier times, which makes the alleged betrayal sting all the sharper.

For Kepner’s biological mother, Heather Wright, the ruling is a double-edged sword. She learned of her daughter’s death not from family, but via a frantic Google search after the ship returned to port – a detail that still haunts her. “He never once tried to call me… I found out through Google,” Wright told WESH News, her voice cracking with a mix of fury and sorrow. At a somber memorial service on November 21 at The Grove Church in Titusville, mourners draped in blue – Anna’s favorite color – gathered to celebrate the girl who lit up rooms with her laugh and love for the water. Wright, who spoke exclusively to reporters, painted a portrait of a daughter full of promise: a cheerleader who dreamed big, always quick with a joke to ease the tension. “She always wanted to make people laugh,” she said, wiping away tears. Now, with no signs of sexual assault, drugs, or alcohol in Anna’s system per preliminary reports, the focus sharpens on the human element – a possible family rift turned fatal.

The stepbrother’s reaction in the immediate aftermath has only deepened the family’s unease. According to Kepner’s grandmother, Barbara, the boy seemed oddly unfazed when Anna’s body was discovered in his room, prompting questions that linger like a fog over the investigation. He was hospitalized shortly after docking, as pre-planned, but details remain murky. Hudson herself invoked the Fifth Amendment during a virtual hearing, dodging questions that could ripple into the criminal case. Meanwhile, the FBI’s silence speaks volumes; they’re treating this as a full-blown murder inquiry, with no leaks on timelines for charges.

As Thanksgiving arrived this year on November 27 – just weeks after the tragedy – the Kepner household braced for a hollow holiday. Christopher told People it’s a time to honor Anna’s memory while steeling for the justice he craves: “They have the evidence that they need. When they make the arrest, then we’ll start seeing the justice side of things.” Anna’s grandparents echoed that resolve, telling ABC News they were “looking forward to seeing her grow,” a future stolen in an instant.

This case, blending the glamour of a cruise vacation with the horror of domestic betrayal, has gripped the nation – a stark reminder that danger can lurk in the unlikeliest places, even amid family photos and ocean views. With the custody hearing set to resume, eyes will be on Brevard County Court for the testimony that could finally pierce the shadows. For now, Anna Kepner’s story remains unfinished, but the judge’s gavel has ensured it won’t stay buried.