Stepbrother pleads not guilty to murder, sex abuse charges in teen’s cruise ship death
The Carnival Horizon cruise ship sits docked in the Caribbean Sea at the Aruba Cruise Terminal, November 11, 2025, in Oranjestad, Aruba. Gary Hershorn/Getty Images
The teenager was due in court in Miami on Wednesday morning for his arraignment, though he waived his appearance, according to a filing from his attorney.
Prosecutors alleged that the stepbrother “sexually assaulted and intentionally killed” Kepner. The Florida high school senior died from mechanical asphyxiation, officials said.
Anna Kepner’s father, Chris Kepner, is married to the suspect’s mother, Shauntel Kepner.
Chris and Shauntel Kepner said in a statement last week, “Our family is devastated by the loss of Anna and continues to grieve this unimaginable tragedy.”
“This situation is deeply painful and complex for our entire family,” the Kepners said. “Anna was deeply loved, and we remain committed to honoring her life and memory every day.”
ABC News’ Sasha Pezenik contributed to this report.
Nurses and supporters picket during a strike at Mount Sinai West Hospital in New York, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
(NEW YORK) — The largest nursing strike in New York City could be nearing the end as thousands of nurses reached tentative agreements with some hospitals, according to the nurses’ union.
Approximately 10,500 members of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) reached agreements with Montefiore, Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Morningside and West, NYSNA said in an announcement on Monday morning
The nurses will hold ratification votes and, if the agreements are ratified, return to work at the end of the week, the union said in the announcement.
Some 4,200 nurses are continuing to strike at NewYork-Presbyterian, with no agreement reached yet.
An ABC News request for comment sent to Montefiore, Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Morningside and West did not immediately receive a response.
The nurses, who began striking on Jan. 12, said they were fighting over fair wages and compensation, safe staffing levels, and workplace safety.
The union previously said hospitals have threatened to cut health care benefits for frontline nurses and to roll back safe staffing standards that were won by nurses in a strike two years ago.
“For four weeks, nearly 15,000 NYSNA members held the line in the cold and in the snow for safe patient care,” NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said a statement. “Now, nurses at Montefiore and Mount Sinai systems are heading back to the bedside with our heads held high after winning fair tentative contracts that maintain enforceable safe staffing ratios, improve protections from workplace violence, and maintain health benefits with no additional out-of-pocket costs for frontline nurses.”
The agreement includes increasing the number of nurses to improve patient care, protecting health benefits, protecting nurses from workplace violence, and increasing salaries by more than 12% over the three-year contract, according to NYSNA.
“I’m so proud of the resilience and strength of NYSNA nurses,” Pat Keane, NYSNA executive director, said in a statement. “They have shown that when we fight, we win. Nurses sacrificed their own pay and healthcare while on strike to defend patient care for all of New York. We helped galvanize a movement for worker and healthcare justice that reached beyond New York City.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) — On one quiet night in Miami, a rising college football star had his life cut short in a murder that sent shockwaves through the city.
Just months before he was expected to be selected in the NFL draft, University of Miami defensive lineman Bryan Pata was tragically gunned down on Nov. 7, 2006, leaving his family, friends and teammates seeking answers for nearly two decades.
“I’ll think back how we used to spend our times together…all the good stuff. But you think, ‘Oh, man. He’s not here anymore.’ That’s when the tears flow,” Pata’s sister Ronette Pata told “20/20.”
A new “20/20” episode, “Murder at the U” airing Friday, March 6, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu, examines the case.
You can also get more behind-the-scenes of each week’s episode by listening to “20/20: The After Show” weekly series right on your 20/20 podcast feed on Mondays, hosted by “20/20” co-anchor Deborah Roberts.
The 22-year-old had just arrived home after football practice when he was shot in the head after exiting his vehicle, according to authorities.
Dwayne Hendricks, who said he pulled into the apartment complex shortly after Pata did and found him in a pool of blood, said he was the one who called Pata’s family to deliver the news.
“I tell people to this day, that was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my life. It was to call his mom and say that her youngest is dead,” Hendricks — a teammate and roommate of Pata — recalled as he delivered his testimony in court years later.
Dave Howell, Pata’s teammate on the Miami Hurricanes, remembered his charisma and leadership within the team.
“His aura. It just stuck out,” Howell told “20/20.” “He always gets everybody to kind of gravitate towards him.”
Investigators began looking for suspects and discovered that Pata reportedly had issues with a teammate named Rashaun Jones, who, it was later discovered, was the only player to not attend a mandatory team meeting the night that Pata was killed.
Pata’s teammates told investigators the two had previously physically fought and Jones had threatened Pata. It was also rumored that Jones had once been romantically involved with Pata’s girlfriend, Jada Brody.
However, Pata’s case went quiet for 15 years, until an in-depth ESPN article on the investigation helped re-ignite interest in the case. Pata’s brother Edwin expressed gratitude for the sports outlet’s reporting.
“I believe one of the catalysts was the ESPN article that came out. I think that was part of it. I think also the state prosecutor also getting a little more aggressive and being much more aggressive in his approach towards arresting someone,” Edwin Pata told “20/20.”
Jones was subsequently arrested in 2021 for second-degree murder. Police cited his cell phone records and an alleged eyewitness as important pieces of evidence they said tied him to the crime.
While detained, Jones told police he had a tempestuous association with Pata.
“I mean, we had an up-and-down relationship,” Jones said. “We was teammates. I guess females got involved. So it was, I don’t know, I guess jealousy over females.”
Investigators discovered that on the morning of Pata’s murder, Jones was suspended from the University of Miami football team after testing positive for marijuana for the second time. He also changed his phone number earlier that day, they said.
However, Jones maintained his innocence, insisting he had nothing to do with Pata’s killing.
“I used to be young and wild … that ain’t got nothing to do with picking up no gun, trying to kill nobody, harm nobody with it. That’s not in me,” Jones told police.
Jones pleaded not guilty, and subsequently sat in jail for four and a half years awaiting trial due to being unable to afford bail. The trial finally began in February. The prosecution sought to build a case against Jones based upon his conflicts with Pata and the alleged eyewitness who investigators claimed placed him at the scene of the crime.
The defense countered that police never really treated Jones like a suspect or bring Jones in for a sworn statement for more than 15 years.
However on Monday, after two weeks of testimony, the judge in the case declared a mistrial as the six-person jury remained deadlocked over a verdict. When polled, one of the jurors told “20/20” that five members were in favor of acquittal, with one holdout for conviction.
The state attorney signaled they intend to move forward with trying Jones again later this spring.
Jones’ attorney Sara Alvarez said that he refused a plea deal to keep fighting for his innocence.
“Mr. Jones continues to be presumed innocent, and we will be back to fight this again at the next trial,” Alvarez said.
As the legal battle over his murder continues two decades after his death, Pata’s family still remember his warmth.
Edwin Pata told “20/20” that his brother lit up every room he walked into.
“Full of life, full of energy, positive energy. Someone who’s truly missed,” Edwin said. “It’s still hard for us today.”
(NEW YORK) — Severe weather is headed to the deep South, from Texas to Mississippi, with damaging winds, possible tornadoes and some large hail forecast.
A powerful storm system will move out of the Rockies on Saturday and will bring the severe weather across the deep South.
Storms will move into Dallas, Texas, late Saturday morning, with some gusty winds and very heavy rain.
The storms will move through Houston between 7 and 9 p.m. Saturday with damaging winds, a threat for an isolated tornado and some heavy rain.
New Orleans, Louisiana, and Jackson, Mississippi, will see storms moving through between midnight and 2 a.m. Damaging winds, isolated tornado and heavy rain is possible.
Storms move through Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama, early Sunday morning from 5 to 8 a.m. with gusty winds and heavy rain.
Atlanta gets storms and heavy rain mid to late morning Sunday, but severe weather with tornado threat will stay south into Albany, Georgia, to Panama City, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Florida
This same storm system with severe weather will also bring heavy rain from Texas all the way to the Carolinas with a chance for flash flooding.
The highest threat for flash flooding will be from just east of Dallas, Texas, to Little Rock, Arkansas and into Memphis, Tennessee.
Locally some areas could get 2 to 4 inches of rain in a short period of time, causing flash flooding.
After a very dry period for the entire western U.S., a very active storm track has its eyes set on the West.
Starting Sunday afternoon, a series of storms will pound the West from California to Colorado with very heavy snow in the mountains and heavy rain and flooding for coastal California.
The highest threat for flash flooding and debris flow will be from just south of the San Francisco Bay area down to Los Angeles.
Sunday through Friday, some areas in California could see 3 to 6 inches of rain, which is expected to cause flash flooding and debris flow.
The Sierra Nevada Mountains, in California, some areas could see 3 to 6 feet of snow. The Rockies could also see several feet of snow next week.
