Anna Kepner’s Killer Walks Free, But Judge To Talk Marshals To Determine Next Step In Murder Trial

Anna Kepner’s stepbrother walked free on May 27, as a Miami federal judge considers whether he should be held in a juvenile facility. The teenage boy was charged with s--ually assaulting and killing Kepner.

Timothy Hudson, 16, was arrested and charged as a juvenile in February. At that time, U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres ruled that he could live with his uncle in the Tampa area, but must be under electronic monitoring.

However, in March, a federal grand jury indicted him on charges of murder and aggravated s-xual abuse. Following the indictment, prosecutors sought to place him in custody. On Wednesday, the judge ended the hearing pending a final decision.

Judge Torres said that he wanted to speak with the U.S. Marshals Service about the logistics of detaining the teenager in Central Florida, where his family lives, versus Miami, where his trial is happening.

Federal prosecutor Alejandra Lopez urged the judge to detain Hudson, citing that he “is a danger to others and should be held in pretrial detention.” In April, the teenager pleaded not guilty to the two charges in the indictment.

Torres asked the judge to reconsider his February decision to release him when he was charged as a juvenile. The prosecutor argued that circumstances have changed completely since the Miami jury charged him as an adult, which means he could face life in prison.

Hudson is now scheduled for trial in early September. His lawyers have sought a three-month continuance, citing the prosecution’s “voluminous” evidence.

The killing occurred on November 7, 2025, on board the Carnival Horizon. Kepner’s body was found by the cruise staff underneath a bed in her stateroom. She was on the cruise with her father, stepmother, and another step-sibling, apart from Hudson.

The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Kepner died of asphyxiation. The FBI took over the investigation as the killing occurred in international waters. Hudson quickly became the focus of the investigation and the primary suspect.

Hudson’s mother, Shauntel Kepner, is married to Anna’s father, Christopher Kepner. According to the court documents, the parents allowed the boy to sleep in the same stateroom as Anna.

Following the killing, Christopher Kepner said in a statement that the family was placing “trust in the justice system to pursue the truth with care and integrity.” He added in a statement, “The situation is deeply painful and complex for the entire family.”