Anna Kepner's Stepbrother Ducks Court, Enters Not Guilty Plea in Cruise Murder Case

Anna Kepner’s accused killer isn’t showing up in court -- but he is showing his legal strategy ... pleading not guilty while staying out of sight.

The 16-year-old stepbrother -- identified in court docs only as T.H. -- waived his personal appearance at the arraignment Tuesday and entered a not guilty plea. He was originally expected to be in a Miami courtroom Wednesday morning.

The teen, who is now being prosecuted as an adult, is facing first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse charges tied to the death of his 18-year-old stepsister aboard a Carnival Cruise Line ship back in November 2025.

Prosecutors allege T.H. sexually assaulted and intentionally killed Anna while they were both passengers on the ship ... with authorities later finding her body wrapped and hidden under a bed in the cabin they shared.

The case has taken a turn recently ... T.H. was initially charged as a minor back in February, but a judge ruled he’ll now be tried as an adult ... dramatically raising the stakes. If convicted, he could face life behind bars.

Prosecutors are now pushing for his bond to be revoked, calling him a "danger" to society.

T.H. has been out on pretrial release ... living at his uncle's home under strict conditions, including GPS monitoring, constant adult supervision, and a ban on being alone with minors.

Meanwhile, authorities say they've turned over key evidence in the case … including the full medical examiner's report, body cam footage, and cellphone data extraction tied to the investigation.