A federal judge in Miami on Wednesday, May 27, allowed Timothy Hudson, 16, who was charged with killing and sexually assaulting his 18-year-old stepsister on a cruise ship, to remain free for now. The judge is now considering whether to hold him in a juvenile facility.
Timothy is accused of killing and sexually assaulting Anna Kepner in November 2025 while on a cruise shift, Fox 35 Orlando reported. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
What’s next for Timothy Hudson?
In February, US Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres had ruled that Timothy, who was arrested and charged as a juvenile, could live with an uncle in the Tampa area under electronic monitoring. However, prosecutors sought to place him in custody after a federal grand jury indicted Hudson on charges of murder and aggravated sexual abuse in March.
The hearing was ended by the judge without a final decision being made. He said that he wanted to speak with the U.S. Marshals Service about the logistics of detaining Timothy in Central Florida, near his family, versus Miami, which is the site of his trial.
Read More | All about Anna Kepner’s family: Father, mother, stepmother and siblings
Federal prosecutor Alejandra Lopez urged Judge Edward Torres to detain Timothy, arguing that he “is a danger to others and should be held in pretrial detention” because he’s no longer being prosecuted as a juvenile, according to the Miami Herald.
Timothy allegedly killed and raped Anna, whose body was found underneath a bed in her stateroom by cleaning staff aboard the Carnival Horizon on November 7, 2025, a day before the ship docked at PortMiami. Anna was on board the cruise with her father, stepmother and two step-siblings, including Timothy. Anna’s cause of death was asphyxiation, according to the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office.
Timothy is scheduled for trial in early September after his lawyers sought a three-month continuance, citing the prosecution’s “voluminous” evidence.
Anna’s father previously said in a statement that the family was placing “trust in the justice system to pursue the truth with care and integrity.” “The situation is deeply painful and complex for the entire family,” Christopher Kepner said.
