Florida 16-Year-Old Ordered into U.S. Marshals Custody for November Cruise-Ship Murder Trial
A 16-year-old identified as T.H. was taken into federal custody on June 15, 2026, after pleading not guilty to first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the November 2025 death of his stepsister aboard the Carnival Horizon.
dnaindia.comH. U.S. Marshals custody and will remain detained until trial.
H. was indicted as an adult by a federal grand jury on charges of murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the November 2025 death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship while it was en route to Miami.
Sexually assaulted and intentionally killed Kepner, who died from mechanical asphyxiation. H. has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse. His lawyers argued he is a child who has been cooperative with the investigation and has shown no indication of hurting anyone in the months since the killing.
Prosecutors countered that he is allegedly too dangerous for release. The judge directed an examination of potential options for detainment in the Tampa area before ordering the custodial transfer. The federal trial is scheduled to begin on September 8.
U.S. Marshals Service.
U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance in helping place the accused murderer of Anna Marie Kepner behind bars until trial," the statement said. "It was painful for our family to know that he had been free for as long as he was," the Kepner family added.
The family noted that Anna Kepner’s birthday occurred during the weekend immediately preceding June 15, 2026. "While birthdays are never the same without her, we continue to honor her memory and cherish the love and joy she brought to our lives," the statement said.
