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Trial delayed again for Florida teen accused of killing stepsister on Carnival cruise

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FOX 35 Orlando
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Published August 25, 2026 8:22 PM EDT
Published August 25, 2026 8:22 PM EDT
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The Brief

    • The federal murder trial for Timothy Hudson, accused of killing his stepsister aboard a Carnival cruise ship, has been delayed for a second time until Nov. 2.
    • Federal public defenders requested the continuance on Aug. 24, citing the complexity of the adult charges and complicated family dynamics.
    • Hudson faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the November 2025 death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard the Carnival Horizon.

MIAMI, Fla. - The jury trial for the teen suspect accused of killing his step-sister while on board a cruise ship on family vacation has been pushed back for a second time. 

A court filing in Florida's southern district shows the trial of Timothy Hudson will now start on Nov. 2. Hudson is accused of raping and killing his step-sister, Anna Kepner, before her body was found under the bed of their shared room on the Carnival Horizon. 

This decision comes after a judge had already granted a trial delay to September 8 from the initial June 1. 

Timothy Hudson, 16, appears outside federal court in Miami on May 27, 2026. 

Why was the jury trial pushed back? 

What we know:

According to court documents, Hudson's counsel filed for a continuance of trial on Aug. 24, citing three issues that "will likely impact the resolution of the case." 

Hudson's defense said they've spent a significant amount of time reviewing the discovery and researching various issues of potential relevance, but cited the following issues as to why their preparations aren't complete yet: 

  • The seriousness of the offenses alleged in the instant indictment.
  • Hudson's status as a juvenile and the different considerations that apply to him. According to the court filing, none of Hudson's three assistant federal public defenders have previously represented a juvenile in federal court.
  • The unique – and very unfortunate – family dynamic that has resulted from the allegations, the court filing said. Previous FOX 35 reporting followed the custody battle between Hudson's parents over the custody of his two younger siblings. Testimony focused on long-standing family conflicts predating the cruise, including allegations that Shauntel Kepner – Anna's stepmom – kept the children from seeing their father for more than a year and took them on the cruise without his consent.

What happened to Anna Kepner?

The backstory:

Hudson was charged with aggravated sexual abuse and first-degree murder in Kepner's death aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship. She was found dead in November 2025 and hidden beneath a bed, buried in life vests, in one of the cruise ship's cabins, court documents stated.

She died from asphyxiation after she was assaulted, according to the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner, according to court documents.

What's next:

Hudson's jury trial is set to start on Nov. 2. 

The deadline for any guilty pleas is Oct. 23. 

The Source: Information in this story was gathered from the United States District Court in the Southern District of Florida. 

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