Investigators have named a 16-year-old boy as the primary suspect in the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, whose body was discovered aboard the cruise ship where the family was travelling.
The victim and her family—including her stepmother and two stepbrothers—were aboard the vessel when Anna disappeared from her cabin during the voyage. Her body was later retrieved hidden under a bed and covered with life jackets, raising immediate suspicion of foul play.
Federal authorities took the teen into custody after gathering evidence aboard the ship and transferring jurisdiction from maritime investigators to U.S. law-enforcement agencies. The investigation remains ongoing, and officials have not yet announced charges but confirmed the minor is the principal suspect.