Anna Kepner’s 16-year-old stepbrother has been charged as an adult with sexually assaulting and then murdering her on their family cruise vacation, the feds announced Monday.
The boy, only identified as T.H. , allegedly strangled his 18-year-old stepsister on the Carnival Cruise ship Horizon in November and stuffed her body underneath the bed in a room they shared.
The teen suspect, who was initially charged with killing Kepner as a juvenile in February, has now been indicted on first-degree murder and aggravated sexual assault as an adult by a federal grand jury, the Department of Justice announced.
The 16-year-old “sexually assaulted and intentionally killed” Kepner, the DOJ said.
The Florida cheerleader died from mechanical asphyxiation, officials previously ruled.
Kepner’s body was found by a maid who was cleaning the cabin.
If convicted, T.H. faces life in prison.