Anna Kepner Case Update: 'I Can't Jeopardise My Marriage' – Texts Emerge in Carnival Cruise Homicide Probe

New court filings have added another unsettling layer to the investigation into the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, who was found dead aboard a Carnival cruise ship last month.

As authorities continue to probe what has now been ruled a homicide, messages exchanged between family members after her death are drawing scrutiny not as evidence of guilt, but as part of a widening picture investigators are trying to understand.

Anna, from Titusville, Florida, was travelling on a Carnival cruise with relatives when her body was discovered inside the cabin where she had been staying. According to investigators, her body was found concealed beneath the bed.

Officials have since determined that she died from mechanical asphyxia, meaning she was strangled by physical force or an object. The ruling confirmed that her death was caused by another person, though no charges have been filed.

Texts Sent Hours After Discovery

Court documents obtained in an ongoing custody dispute between Anna's stepmother, Shauntel Kepner, and her ex-husband, Thomas Hudson, reveal a message sent more than a day after Anna was found. The text, sent at 7:30pm on 8 November with the subject line 'Emergency,' read, 'I need you to call me asap, it's an emergency.'

The timing has raised questions, as approximately 32 hours had passed since Anna's body was discovered aboard the Carnival Horizon. The documents do not explain why Shauntel waited before contacting Hudson, and there is no indication that investigators consider the delay criminal.

Still, the exchange has drawn attention due to what followed.

In a sworn court filing, Hudson stated that their 'oldest minor child is a suspect' in Anna's death. The teenager, who is Anna's stepbrother, has not been charged and is officially described as a person of interest.

'I Can't Jeopardise My Marriage'

Another text exchange included in the filing references custody arrangements involving the couple's 16-year-old son. That teen is currently staying with a family member who holds power of attorney, and his location is known only to law enforcement and his parents.

Hudson wrote that he had 'kept my mouth shut' when Shauntel told him she could not 'jeopardise [her] marriage' by helping him with matters involving their son. The message has fueled online speculation, though court records do not suggest wrongdoing connected to the statement.

Investigators have not commented on whether these messages are relevant to the homicide inquiry.

Shauntel is now married to Christopher Kepner, Anna's father. Neither Shauntel nor Christopher has been accused of any involvement in Anna's death.

Last Known Moments of Anna

Anna's grandmother, Barbara Kepner, told the media that she last saw her granddaughter the night before her body was found. According to Barbara, Anna had spent time with her grandparents in the ship's casino and appeared in good spirits.

'She said, 'Meemaw, I love you guys. I'll see you later,' Barbara recalled. She said nothing seemed out of the ordinary during that final interaction.

The following day, Anna failed to appear, prompting concern. A member of the ship's staff later discovered her body in the cabin.

As the case moves forward, Anna Kepner's death remains under active investigation.