The mystery continues with the death of teenager Anna Kepner, 18, who lost her life earlier this month on the cruise ship Carnival Horizon.
According to new evidence, Anna died from asphyxia and her death has been characterized as a homicide, according to the death certificate released by her family.
A medical examiner in Miami concluded that Anna Kepner, 18, “suffered mechanical asphyxia by another person or persons” at approximately 11:17 on November 7. The document confirms the preliminary findings of the FBI investigators that had been previously reported.
Kepner was an excellent student, a university cheerleader, and planned to enlist in the army after her graduation, according to her family.
A security source informed ABC News that Kepner’s body was discovered under a bed, hidden with a blanket and life jackets. The body was discovered on November 7 by a crew member who was cleaning Kepner’s cabin, Florida Today reported.
The FBI is investigating the case under “special maritime jurisdiction,” which applies when specific criteria regarding the ship, the victim, or the voyage are met. Carnival Cruise Line is fully cooperating with the investigation.
According to Anna’s grandmother, her stepbrother, who was in the cabin with her, is a suspect in her death. No formal charges have been filed yet.
At the memorial service earlier this month, Kepner’s friends remembered her positive attitude and her involvement in her community. “When she entered a room, she lit it up. If you were sad, she made you laugh. She joked and was the funniest little person in school,” Kepner’s parents told ABC News.
