Judge defers ruling on jailing teen charged in cruise ship stepsister killing

A federal judge on Wednesday allowed a Florida teenager accused of killing and sexually assaulting his stepsister aboard a Carnival cruise ship to remain free while he weighs whether to order the teen’s detention before trial.

Timothy Hudson, 16, is accused of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse after Anna Kepner was found dead in November 2025 inside a Carnival cruise cabin traveling on the high seas toward Miami. Hudson was originally charged as a juvenile and a judge allowed him to remain free and live with a relative while the case was handled as a juvenile matter. Earlier this year, the government announced it would prosecute him as an adult after a grand jury indicted him for his stepsister’s murder.

U.S. District Judge Edwin Torres said Wednesday that, while the charges were grave, Hudson’s age set the case apart.

“If it were a 20-year-old under the exact circumstances, I probably would have detained,” Judge Torres said. “The presumption would be we were just not going to take that chance.” He added: “This is a different animal.”

The judge said he wanted to explore whether Hudson could be detained closer to his family in Hernando County before issuing a final ruling, noting that a Miami-Dade detention would make visits difficult. The U.S. Marshals Office will explore housing options in the Tampa area in the interim.

Prosecutors pushed back sharply. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra Lopez argued that Hudson is “a danger to the community” and questioned how authorities could trust “this defendant won’t act again.” She noted that two minors live in the uncle’s home where  Hudson currently resides. “What is needed to prove a danger? A second dead body?” Ms. Lopez asked.

Public defender Evan Kuhl countered that his client poses neither a danger to the public nor a flight risk, pointing to several months without any violations of his release conditions. Ms. Lopez disputed that framing, noting that it took months after Kepner’s death for charges to be filed while investigators gathered evidence. Hudson is required to stay home except when accompanied by his uncle or aunt and is electronically monitored.

Kepner was an 18-year-old senior and cheerleader at Temple Christian School in Titusville, and the family cruise was meant to celebrate her upcoming graduation. Her father later accepted her diploma at the commencement ceremony in her honor. She was traveling aboard the Carnival Horizon with her father, stepmother, grandparents and several siblings, sharing a cabin with Hudson and a younger sibling.

Her body was found wrapped in a blanket, concealed beneath her bed with life vests. The Miami-Dade medical examiner ruled her death a homicide caused by mechanical asphyxiation. After the ship returned to PortMiami, Hudson was admitted to a medical facility; he was formally arrested in February 2026 after surrendering to federal authorities. 

A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment against Hudson on March 10, 2026, charging him with first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse. The DOJ publicly announced the charges on April 13, when the seal on the case was lifted. His trial, originally set for June 1, was rescheduled to Sept. 8 after Mr. Hudson pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. 

Anna’s father, Chris Kepner, has been outspoken about his frustration with Hudson’s continued freedom.

“We’re upset that he’s still out,” Mr. Kepner told the Daily Mail. “He’s been able to do whatever he wants and go where he wants, but the family’s been sitting here unable to do anything.”