Anna Kepner’s youthful brother reportedly heard “yelling” and “chairs being thrown” inside her cruise stateroom the evening earlier than the 18-year-old Florida cheerleader was discovered lifeless, her devastated ex-boyfriend mentioned.
The obvious commotion went down as Kepner was within the locked cabin alone along with her 16-year-old stepbrother – a “suspect” in her killing, Joshua Westin instructed “Inside Version” outdoors her Orlando, Florida, funeral Thursday evening.
Westin mentioned he realized of the obvious disturbance from talking with Kepner’s 14-year-old brother, who was on the Carnival Horizon voyage with their household.
“He heard [the stepbrother] yelling at her in a dangerous means of like ‘shut the hell up’ and stuff like that and that’s when [the brother] knew there was one thing happening,” Westin mentioned, who affectionately referred to as Kepner his “past love.”
Kepner “didn’t really feel secure round” her stepbrother, her former beau additionally instructed the outlet.
Westin additionally claimed that previously his ex had been sexually harassed by her stepsibling, however she saved quiet over fears for her security.
“She was scared to inform anyone as a result of she was scared that he would do one thing to her,” mentioned Westin.
Kepner was allegedly strangled to dying in a bar maintain and died from asphyxiation from the vicious transfer – an arm throughout her neck – and had two bruises on the aspect of her throat, a supply near the investigation instructed ABC Information Friday.
There have been no obvious indicators of sexual assault, nor have been there medicine or alcohol in her system, the insider mentioned.
The teenager – lovingly nicknamed “Anna Banana” by her household – was discovered lifeless aboard the Carnival vessel on Nov. 8, her lifeless physique stashed below her cabin mattress, wrapped in a blanket and lined in a pile of life vests, ABC reported.
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Whereas there may be nonetheless no phrase on who carried out the grisly act, the FBI is allegedly zeroing in on Kepner’s stepbrother as a attainable suspect within the slaying, in line with courtroom papers filed by her stepmother, Shauntel Hudson.
Kepner’s blended household had been on a six-day Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Horizon when a maid made the horrifying discovery.
The teenager had reportedly been sharing a stateroom along with her 14-year-old brother and 16-year-old stepbrother – the latter a “suspect” – when the tragedy unfolded.
Though federal investigators have remained tight-lipped, the lady’s ex-boyfriend’s father claimed the suspected stepbrother had a disturbing fixation on her – allegedly hounding her for a relationship and even as soon as caught climbing on high of her whereas she slept.
“She was frightened of him as a result of he all the time carried round an enormous knife,” Joshua’s father instructed “Inside Version” Thursday.
“He’s like infatuated, interested in her like loopy. He all the time wished up to now her.”
Kepner’s ex tried to warn the lady’s dad and mom, however they apparently didn’t consider the involved teen.
The religious Christian, who was baptized in Could, was set to graduate within the spring from Temple Christian College in Titusville, Florida. She had plans to hitch the US Navy after commencement and finally turn into a K9 police officer.
An obituary written by her family members described the teenager as a lady who “cherished the solar, the water, boat days, island days, and seashore days, something that permit her soak within the mild she so simply radiated to others.”
“She by no means had a filter, and that was a part of her appeal,” they heartbreakingly recalled.
“She had an enormous, stunning coronary heart, usually sending random ‘I like you’ messages or little gestures that made somebody’s day,” the missive learn.
Kepner’s funeral was held Thursday – however household drama took heart stage, along with her mom reportedly barred from attending attributable to long-standing household tensions, however sported a wig and snuck in anyway.
