Trial Delayed for Teen Charged in Stepsister's Death Aboard Cruise Ship

MIAMI — A federal judge has pushed back the murder trial of a teenager accused of killing his stepsister on a Carnival cruise ship, granting defense attorneys more time to prepare their case.

Timothy Hudson, who was 16 when Anna Kepner died in November 2025, faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse. He has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors are seeking to keep him detained while awaiting trial.

U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom approved the defense's request to move the trial from September to the two-week period beginning November 2, 2026. The prosecution did not object to the delay.

In court filings, Hudson's lawyers said they need additional time to finish their investigation, citing what they described as a "unique – and very unfortunate – family dynamic." They said family circumstances have limited their access to certain relatives, making it harder to gather information relevant to the case.

The defense acknowledged they were "purposefully being vague" in their motion due to intense media attention surrounding the case. The attorneys said the additional time would allow them to complete their investigation and properly advise Hudson about "the options available to him to resolve the pending charges."

Judge Bloom determined that the interests of justice served by the continuance outweighed concerns about a speedy trial.

When asked about potential plea negotiations, Hudson's attorney told Maine News Now they were "still not in a position to make a statement." The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida declined to comment.

The court has set October 23 as the deadline for any plea agreement. A calendar call is scheduled for October 27 at 1:30 p.m., and jury selection is set to begin at 9 a.m. November 2 at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami.

Kepner, an 18-year-old senior at Titusville High School and a cheerleader, was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon. According to prosecutors, she left dinner on the evening of November 6 complaining of mouth pain from her braces and an upset stomach, returning alone to cabin 8343.

Surveillance footage and other evidence paint a detailed timeline of the hours that followed. CCTV shows Hudson entering the cabin at 7:35 p.m., followed minutes later by Kepner at 7:38 p.m. Prosecutors say she was never seen leaving the room again.

Her 13-year-old brother briefly visited the cabin at 7:51 p.m. and told investigators he saw his sister alive. Prosecutors allege that from that time until 10:13 p.m., when Hudson exited the cabin, the two were alone together for roughly three hours. At 10:53 p.m., Hudson placed a privacy sign on the cabin door and went back inside.

Later that night, the brother returned multiple times. At 12:09 a.m., he said Hudson blocked him from entering, telling him he was changing and making him wait outside. When the brother briefly entered moments later, he said the bathroom and closet doors were open and the cabin lights were on. He did not see his sister.

The next morning, investigators say Kepner's phone—which had gone missing—was tracked through the ship's Wi-Fi system moving along the same path as Hudson. Surveillance and router data allegedly placed both Hudson and the phone near a jogging track and smoking area before showing them heading toward a trash-bin area where the phone was ultimately discovered.

Cabin attendants found Kepner's body at 11:24 a.m. on November 7. According to prosecutors, she was wrapped in bedding and partially hidden under a bed, with a box of life vests positioned to obscure her from view.