The Florida teenager accused of killing his stepsister aboard a Carnival cruise ship final yr has been taken into the custody of the U.S. Marshals and might be held behind bars forward of his upcoming trial.
The 16-year-old suspect, recognized in courtroom filings by his initials as “T.H.,” was ordered to report back to the federal courthouse in Tampa earlier Monday morning, the place his household would ship him to the U.S. Marshals’ custody.
T.H. was indicted as an grownup by a federal grand jury on costs of homicide and aggravated sexual abuse within the November 2025 killing of his stepsister, 18-year-old Anna Kepner. He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree homicide and aggravated sexual abuse.
The household of 18-year-old Anna Kepner, who was reported useless whereas aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship, says they may keep in mind her as a cheerful, bubbly, straight-A pupil with a shiny future forward.
Kepner household
Prosecutors alleged that the stepbrother “sexually assaulted and deliberately killed” Kepner on the Carnival Cruise ship Horizon whereas the ship was en path to Miami. The Florida highschool senior died from mechanical asphyxiation, officers mentioned.
Prosecutors had argued T.H. must be held behind bars forward of his trial as a result of he’s allegedly too harmful for such a lax association. His legal professionals countered he is a toddler who has been cooperative with the investigation and has proven no indication of wounding anybody within the months since his stepsister’s killing.
The choose finally directed an examination of potential choices for his detainment within the Tampa space, and has now dominated for that custodial switch to happen.
ABC Information has reached out to T.H.’s lawyer for remark.
The federal trial is ready to start on Sept. 8.
Anna Kepner’s father, Chris Kepner, is married to the suspect’s mom, Shauntel Kepner.
“We wish to thank the FBI, the US Legal professional’s Workplace, and the U.S. Marshals Service for his or her help in serving to place the accused assassin of Anna Marie Kepner behind bars till trial,” the Kepner household mentioned in an announcement to ABC Information on Monday. “It was painful for our household to know that he had been free for so long as he was. We are actually at peace understanding that he will be unable to hurt anybody else whereas awaiting trial.”
The household famous that Kepner’s birthday was this previous weekend.
“Whereas birthdays are by no means the identical with out her, we proceed to honor her reminiscence and cherish the love and pleasure she delivered to our lives,” the household mentioned. “As we transfer nearer to the beginning of the trial within the coming months, we stay longing for a swift conclusion to this course of and for justice to be served.”
