BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — The stepbrother of 18-year-old Anna Kepner is currently out on release.
But now that he’s been indicted as an adult on charges of murder and aggravated sexual abuse in Kepner’s November 2025, cruise ship death, federal prosecutors want a judge to review or revoke his release.
In a motion filed Monday in the United States District Court Southern District of Florida, federal prosecutors said the evidence presented during the 16-year-old defendant’s juvenile hearing demonstrated, the alleged conduct involved the most serious, egregious, and violative crimes one person can inflict upon another.
We spoke with WFTV Legal Analyst Bill Sheaffer about the indictment and prosecutors’ motion to revoke release. Sheaffer said,
“He’s been re-indicted as an adult where the sanctions are much more harsh than if he would have continued as an adult.” He added,
“Certainly, the court will try to set some conditions of release for him. But they may well end up granting the government’s request for pretrial detention, although I would be a little bit surprised if they did.”
According to court documents, the defendant currently lives in a home where minor children reside.
Prosecutors argue there is no assurance any court could ever have any conditions, or combination of conditions, would be sufficient to prevent the defendant from being a danger to others, and the defendant should be detained.
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