Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Episode: 'LAST DANCE' TEEN GIRL DEAD ON CRUISE, SPOTTED ON VIDEO JUST BEFORE MURDER
Date: January 30, 2026

Overview

In this gripping episode, Nancy Grace dives deep into the mysterious death of Anna Kepner, a teenage cheerleader found dead on a cruise ship. The show examines shocking new evidence, including video footage of Anna joyfully dancing with her grandparents just hours before her murder, and scrutinizes the leads, suspects, family reactions, and discrepancies in the investigation. Through interviews with experts, investigative reporters, and the videographer who unknowingly captured Anna's "Last Dance," the episode unpacks the growing suspicions around her family, especially her stepbrother, and the troubling lack of answers from authorities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The "Last Dance" Video and Initial Discovery

• Source of "Last Dance" Video (03:52-06:07):

  • Guest Nick Giddens, who runs the TikTok account NickCapo609, filmed Anna dancing with her grandparents at the cruise’s send-off party, hours before her body was found.

  • Nick didn’t realize Anna’s significance in the video until after the cruise, when viewers pointed out she was the girl killed on the ship. He reposted, drawing attention to the case.

    “I posted the video that day, November 2nd ...someone commented, 'that's the girl that got killed.' And I went back and watched it... It shows her, happy, with her grandparents."
    — Nick Giddens (04:35)

  • Nancy highlights the power of such footage in humanizing victims and reconstructing timelines, wondering if the suspect (Anna’s stepbrother) appears in the footage.

• Mood of the Cruise & Dangers (06:51-09:24):

  • Spencer Ehrenfeld, "the cruise lawyer", notes the fun and party atmosphere on Carnival cruises, but also the inherent risk because the guest list includes total strangers with potentially dark backgrounds.

    “They let everybody on the ship. So who knows who is in this line dance with this poor young lady.”
    — Spencer Ehrenfeld (08:45)

Circumstances of the Crime & The "Infantile" Concealment

• Body Discovery (11:50-14:24):

  • Anna was last seen at dinner feeling ill, left alone to her room.

  • Her absence went unnoticed by her family until the next morning, ~18 hours later.

  • A cleaner discovered her body stuffed under a bed, concealed with life vests and a missing bedsheet. The exact state of her clothing is unknown.

    “(The maid) notices a pile of life jackets stuffed underneath. Removing the life jackets, she discovers the missing sheet wrapped around Anna’s body.”
    — Chantel Hudson (11:50)

• "Infantile" Concealment Discussion (15:34-20:17):

  • Forensic expert Joseph Scott Morgan points to the childish, panicked way her body was hidden as evidence the perpetrator may be young and unsophisticated.

  • The use of available objects (life vests, ship stateroom hiding spot) was likely a desperate, unsophisticated attempt to delay discovery.

    “Whoever did this probably was young and panicked…like in a child's mind, what do you do when somebody gets hurt? You hide them… hoping nobody's going to find them.”
    — Dr. Sue Kornbluth (22:53)

Focus on Family: Supervision, Alibis & Suspicions

• Parental Supervision and Behavior (09:45-10:55, 27:28-29:31):

  • Reports suggest Anna and other teens may have had access to alcohol and were left unsupervised in their own room.

  • The cruise line denies serving minors, but experts say teens can easily access alcohol.

    “There's 101 ways someone can get booze on a cruise… I would bet you the toxicology’s going to come back with alcohol.”
    — Spencer Ehrenfeld (10:55)

• The Stepbrother as Main Suspect (23:56-25:16):

  • Video evidence reportedly shows Anna entering her room alone, then followed by her younger brother and her older stepbrother.

  • The younger brother later leaves alone, and Anna is never seen again alive. The stepbrother remains in the room for hours.

    “Anna doesn’t leave the room and the stepbrother doesn’t leave the room for hours. In fact, Anna never leaves the room.”
    — Nancy Grace (24:02)

• Custody Hearings & Parental Reactions (25:16-26:47):

  • Stepbrother’s biological parents call him a suspect; his mother’s texts show anticipation of potential charges pending autopsy results.

  • The specificity and volume of cruise ship CCTV and keycard tracking should allow a precise reconstruction of movements and events.

    “They have high-definition CCTV footage ... and electronic key cards... so they can piece this entire thing together.”
    — Spencer Ehrenfeld (25:59)

Autopsy Findings & Forensic Evidence

• Cause of Death: Arm Bar Asphyxiation (28:37-31:02):

  • Anna died from asphyxiation via an “arm bar”—pressing the forearm against the neck to suffocate by compressing the windpipe, not the arteries.

  • Forensic discussion covers possible contusions and cartilage fractures, and whether furniture was involved in the struggle.

    “You’re compressing the larynx... I’ll be interested to see if the OCME... notes trauma to all of the cartilaginous bodies, the cartilage in the trachea…”
    — Joseph Scott Morgan (29:41)

• No Charges Yet; Behavior After the Crime (31:02-37:02):

  • The stepbrother, after the body’s discovery, is described as unable to speak and is rushed to a psychiatric facility, claiming amnesia about the night.

  • Discussion around whether he’s truly traumatized, malingering, or advised to “plead the Fifth.”

    “Everything’s been fine. He could walk, he could talk, he dressed himself, he went to the breakfast buffet. But then the investigators showed up and suddenly he can’t function.”
    — Nancy Grace (35:28)

Family Priorities and "Bad Optics"

• Damage Control Over Grief (32:25-41:08):

  • A series of text exchanges between the stepbrother’s parents demonstrate their overwhelming priority is damage control for their son’s reputation, not grief for Anna.

  • Discussion of how quickly the family acted to shield the stepbrother’s identity and avoid public speculation.

  • Nancy and guests are critical of how little emphasis is placed on finding Anna’s killer.

    “The child is dead. Anna Kettner is dead ... I don't quite get why the focus is on protecting the privacy of the stepbrother as opposed to apprehending their daughter's killer.”
    — Nancy Grace (40:41)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the timeline of Anna’s disappearance:

  • “She was last seen at dinner around 6:30pm the night before and nobody was alarmed wondering where she was until breakfast the next day around 9am.”
    — Sydney Sumner (28:21)

• On supervision of teens on cruise ships:

  • “It's kind of like letting your child walk around Times Square in New York City at 2 in the morning. No parent would ever do that. But they seem to do this on cruise ships…”
    — Spencer Ehrenfeld (27:28)

• On the family’s post-murder reaction:

  • “Grief for Anna’s loss is barely discussed... Otherwise, the focus lies on their son. Chantelle Hudson never mentioning feelings on her stepdaughter's murder.”
    — Chantel Hudson (40:21)

• Critical view on why no charges:

  • “Why are you not climbing up on the rooftops…screaming ‘I want to find out who did this to my child?’”
    — Joseph Scott Morgan (39:23)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:52-06:07 – Nick Giddens describes filming Anna’s “Last Dance” and realizing its significance
• 09:24-10:55 – Reports of unsupervised teens/alcohol on cruise and questions of supervision
• 11:50-14:24 – Discovery of Anna’s concealed body, condition, and immediate aftermath
• 15:34-20:17 – Discussion on the “infantile” concealment and its forensic implications
• 24:02 – Timeline reconstruction using cruise ship video surveillance
• 25:16-26:47 – Parental text messages and stepbrother as suspect
• 28:21 – Last seen alive and body discovery timeline: 18-hour window
• 29:41-31:02 – Forensic explanation of “arm bar” asphyxiation
• 32:25-41:08 – Family’s damage control, “bad optics,” and lack of public grief

Conclusion: Ongoing Questions and What Happens Next

• The case remains unsolved, with no official charges filed. The family’s behavior, the stepbrother’s convenient amnesia, and the wealth of cruise ship video footage leave more questions than answers.
• The experts highlight the power of surveillance and forensic evidence to eventually tell the full story, but are deeply troubled by the parental focus on their son's privacy over justice for Anna.
• Nancy Grace closes by urging listeners with any information, no matter how trivial, to come forward, believing that the popular interest and digital evidence could help crack the case.

If you have information about this case:
Call 754-703-2000