EARRING SURVEY: Anna’s missing earrings were found under the carpet — suggesting the floor had been pulled up by the perpetrator in a horrific act, details are

Investigators probing the death of 19-year-old Anna Kepner have uncovered a deeply unsettling detail: her missing earrings — the same pair she was seen wearing just hours before her death — were found hidden beneath the cabin’s carpet, suggesting that the flooring had been deliberately lifted and repositioned by the perpetrator.

A senior forensic technician confirmed that the earrings were recovered during a meticulous “floor integrity survey” conducted after officers noticed subtle misalignment in the cabin’s carpeting. Beneath the top layer of fabric, wedged between insulation boards, were both earrings — one intact, the other bent at an angle consistent with “forceful removal.”

Experts say the discovery indicates two things:

1. The earrings were intentionally concealed, not accidentally dropped.

2. The cabin floor had been tampered with, requiring tools, strength, and time.

According to a forensic report, adhesive strips along the carpet’s perimeter showed signs of being peeled back and re-pressed, leaving faint residue patterns that did not match the factory installation. Investigators believe the perpetrator lifted a section of the floor shortly after Anna’s collapse — a move described as “calculated, confident, and chillingly thorough.”

A law enforcement source familiar with the case said the positioning of the earrings suggests they were “pushed deep” under the carpet, not simply placed there.

“This wasn’t panic. This was methodical. Someone wanted those earrings out of sight.”

Detectives are now trying to determine why the earrings were targeted. One working theory suggests the perpetrator may have sustained scratches or injuries during a struggle and removed the earrings to eliminate trace evidence. Another theory points to the possibility that the earrings themselves may hold microscopic biological material crucial to identifying the suspect.

Crime scene analysts are currently conducting DNA and particulate testing on both earrings, as well as re-examining the flooring for fingerprints, fibres, and micro-abrasions left by tools.

The discovery has been described by investigative teams as “one of the most significant breakthroughs to date” and is expected to reshape the official timeline of Anna Kepner’s final moments aboard the ship.

Authorities will release further details as forensic examinations continue.