Murder Trial of Anna Kepner’s Stepbrother Delayed as Defense Struggles to Reach Family Members

The murder trial of Timothy Hudson, the 16-year-old stepbrother accused of killing Anna Kepner aboard a Carnival cruise ship, has been postponed after his defense team said they have been unable to speak with certain family members as part of their investigation.

 

Hudson had been scheduled to stand trial beginning Sept. 8, but his attorneys requested that the proceedings be pushed back to Nov. 2. The request was unopposed by prosecutors and was quickly approved by U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom.

Hudson is being prosecuted as an adult in connection with the death of his 18-year-old stepsister. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder involving sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault.

According to the defense motion, attorneys need additional time to investigate issues that could become important if Hudson is convicted and later faces sentencing.

Because Hudson was 16 at the time of the alleged crime, his defense says he would be entitled to a Miller hearing before a sentence could be imposed. Such a hearing gives a court the opportunity to consider circumstances surrounding a juvenile defendant before imposing a sentence that could otherwise amount to life imprisonment without parole.

During a Miller hearing, attorneys can present evidence concerning a young defendant’s maturity, upbringing, family circumstances, involvement in the offense and potential for rehabilitation.

The defense says that part of its investigation has been complicated by difficulties accessing “certain family members.” The individuals were not identified in the court filing.

 

Attorneys attributed the situation to what they described as a “unique – and very unfortunate – family dynamic” that developed following the allegations against Hudson.

With the trial delayed until November, however, the defense expects to have additional time to speak with relatives they have so far been unable to reach.

The prosecution did not object to the continuance. Judge Bloom subsequently moved the trial to Nov. 2 and extended the deadline for reaching a possible plea agreement to Oct. 23.

The case stems from a family cruise aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Horizon in November 2025. Kepner and Hudson were traveling together on what was described as their first cruise as part of their newly blended family, following the marriage of Hudson’s mother, Shauntel Hudson, to Kepner’s father, Christopher Kepner.

According to court documents, Kepner was last seen on the night of Nov. 6, 2025, as she returned to the stateroom she was sharing with Hudson and her 14-year-old half-brother.

The following day, shortly before noon, Kepner was discovered dead beneath a bed inside the cabin.

The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office later determined that Kepner died from mechanical asphyxiation and classified her death as a homicide.

Hudson was initially released into the custody of a family member after he was indicted as a juvenile on murder and sexual assault charges. That arrangement changed after a grand jury later voted to indict him as an adult, prompting the judge to revoke his pretrial release.

 

Hudson remains in custody as the case moves toward trial. He has denied the allegations by pleading not guilty.

The two-week trial is now scheduled to take place in Miami, where the Horizon arrived after Kepner’s death while the ship was traveling through international waters.

The latest delay gives Hudson’s attorneys several additional weeks to continue their investigation — including their efforts to gain access to family members who could potentially provide information relevant to his defense and any future sentencing proceedings.