Anna Kepner’s younger stepbrother—a suspect in her murder—was reportedly obsessed with the Florida cheerleader and once even climbed onto her while she slept, according to the father of her slain 18-year-old ex-boyfriend.
Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother was reportedly "obsessed with her," relentlessly pursuing her even after their families were blended, Steven Westin told Inside Edition, citing conversations with his son.
"She was scared of him because he always carried around a big knife," the shaken father told the outlet in an interview that aired Thursday.
Anna Kepner, 18, was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship on November 8, 2025. Instagram/@anna.kepner16
Anna Kepner and her biological brother, Connor Kepner. TikTok/@fl.anna18
Westin said his son, Joshua, who had dated Kepner, once witnessed her stepbrother climb onto her while she slept during a FaceTime call.
"He’s like infatuated, attracted to her like crazy. He always wanted to date her," Westin said of the suspected, twisted stepbrother.
Westin said his son tried to warn Kepner’s parents but was met with disbelief: "They didn’t want to believe me."
The FBI is now questioning the high school senior’s stepbrother after her body was reportedly discovered hidden under her bed, wrapped in life vests inside her cabin on Nov. 8, according to court documents filed by her stepmother, Shauntel Hudson.
She had gone on the six-day cruise with her father, stepmother, her 14-year-old brother, and her 16-year-old stepbrother—setting the stage for a tragic turn of events.
Her body was discovered as the ship made its way back to Port Miami.
Stephen Westin, the father of Anna Kepner’s ex-boyfriend, revealed that the cheerleader’s stepbrother was "obsessed" with her—and even once climbed on top of her while she slept. Inside Edition
Kepner—who was set to graduate this spring from Temple Christian School in Titusville, Florida—was pronounced dead aboard the Carnival cruise ship at 11:17 a.m. on Nov. 7, according to the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner.
Her funeral was held Thursday in Titusville, but her biological mother, Heather Kepner, told Inside Edition that she was barred from attending due to long-standing family tensions—vowing, however, to do whatever it takes to say goodbye.
“I’m going to wear a disguise, I’m going to put a wig on and wear some really tall shoes because I’m 4 ft. 9,” the determined mom, divorced from her daughter’s father 13 years ago, told the outlet.
Though Heather Kepner hadn’t seen her daughter consistently in years since relocating to Oklahoma, she expressed pride in Anna, who aspired to serve in the U.S. Navy and one day become a K-9 police officer.
“She was a really good child. She never really complained about much. She never really cried that much as a baby and as a teenager she was the same. Just always happy,” she told FOX 35.
“She was always trying to make everybody smile. An extremely happy child.”
The FBI has been leading the investigation since Anna’s death in international waters and has remained tight-lipped about the details.
