CRUISE TEEN CHEERLEADER DEAD FROM 'BAR HOLD' AFTER STEPBRO-SUSPECT SKIPS DAILY DRUG COCKTAIL

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline

News, True Crime

3.9 • 7.6K Ratings

🗓️ 9 December 2025

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

New details emerge in Anna Kepner's alleged murder during a family court hearing regarding Thomas Hudson’s emergency petition for custody of the 9-year-old daughter he shares with Shauntel Hudson.

Hudson is concerned for his daughter's safety under Shauntel Hudson and Christopher Kepner’s care, due to their failure to closely supervise their older children during the cruise Thomas didn’t want the children to take.

Shauntel, Anna's stepmom, confirms her 16-year-old son is the only suspect in Anna’s murder, her younger brother Connor having been cleared of any potential wrongdoing.

Hudson’s lawyer says they are unsure if the FBI will press federal charges or hand the potential murder case over to state authorities.

Shauntel also testifies their 16-year-old son is staying with her relatives after his hospital release from psychiatric observation and claims he will NOT be returning to the home she shares with Christopher Kepner and the remaining three children, even in the event the FBI concludes their investigation without charges.

Shauntel’s oldest son, Andrew, testifies his mother allowed him to drink alcohol in the past, a story corroborated by Shauntel’s stepmother, Sonya Ziske.

Ziske witnessed Shauntel's pour herself and both of her sons, 16 and 14 at the time, a shot of liquor.

Joining Nancy Grace:

Spencer Aronfeld - Trial lawyer and Founder of Aronfeld Trial Lawyers, Author of illustrated children's book "Sara Rose, Kid Lawyer;" Facebook: Aronfeld Law, Instagram: Aronfeld_Trial_Lawyers
Caryn Stark - Forensic Psychologist, Renowned TV and Radio Trauma Expert and Consultant, Instagram: carynpsych, FB: Caryn Stark Private Practice
Jon Buehler - Former Detective for Modesto Police Department, California (31 years in robbery and homicide), Worked as Detective in the Scott Peterson Investigation
Dr. Kendall Crowns - Chief Medical Examiner Tarrant County (Ft Worth), Host of Podcast "Mayhem in the Morgue," and Lecturer: Burnett School of Medicine at TCU (Texas Christian University)
Susan Hendricks - Journalist, Author: “Down the Hill: My Descent into the Double Murder in Delphi;" IG @susan_hendricks X @SusanHendicks
Krystal Wright - Aunt of Anna Kepner
Sydney Sumner - Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories'

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is an I-Heart podcast.
0:02.3	Guaranteed Human.
0:04.8	Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.
0:10.7	The cruise team cheerleader, Anna Kepner, dead from a bar-hold asphyxiation after her stepbrother,
0:26.1	16, now named a suspect, we learn he misses,
0:36.0	he skips his daily drug cocktail of meds. Was he on some type of an agitated withdrawal?
0:42.4	And tonight we learn as punishment he's sent to relatives.
0:51.9	Why no charges in the death of a teen girl cheerleader found stuffed under a twin bed on a cruise?
0:54.3	I'm Nancy Grace. This is Crime Stories.
0:56.4	I want to thank you for being with us. That little girl stuffed under a cruise ship bed, wrapped in a blanket, mummy style, with
1:04.4	life as stuffed over her.
1:06.2	She, quote, thought for her life.
1:11.2	And this is one thing I don't get.
1:13.7	Why am I learning all of these facts from a seemingly unrelated custody argument?
1:22.3	The family dynamic lands this very, very blended family in court, fighting over custody of the younger children.
1:35.1	Straight out to investigative journalist, author of Down the Hill, My Descent, into the Double Murder of Delphi, Susan Hendrix.
1:43.3	Why am I having to learn all of this from a seemingly
1:46.7	unrelated custody fight? Absolutely. And the infighting, it's been going on a while.
1:53.9	And we're getting information from this through that, as you said, and where is the outrage?
1:59.1	I watched the entire hearing. We're getting bits and pieces.
2:02.4	The suspect's older brother, it stood out to me that he said he was put in a chokehold.
2:07.4	So is that where I'm guessing that the suspect learned to do that? But you're right, Nancy, we are only hearing details through this somewhat unrelated hearing. it's just very complicated. I feel,
	...

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