Timothy Hudson, 16, will be tried as an adult for the rape and murder of his 18-year-old stepsister, Anna Kepner, during a family cruise. A U.S. federal judge has upheld the decision, sending the teenager to face life imprisonment for the events that occurred in November 2025 aboard the Carnival Horizon cruise ship.
According to court documents, Timothy Hudson is suspected of having a bizarre obsession with his stepsister, which ended in tragedy. The 16-year-old is accused of sexually assaulting Anna Kepner and then intentionally killing her by suffocation. The indictment states that the teenager forced the 18-year-old to engage in a sexual act before proceeding to murder her. After the crime, Timothy hid Anna's lifeless body under the bed they shared in the cabin and slept nearby, according to authorities.
The girl's body was found on November 7 by a crew member, wrapped in a blanket and covered with life jackets, under the bed in the ship's cabin. Initially, the 16-year-old was charged as a minor, but his trial will now be held as an adult, with charges of first-degree murder and sexual assault.
Anna Kepner, known in the family as "Anna Banana," was set to graduate from Temple Christian School in Titusville in May and had just completed military service exams. Her stepmother, Shodell Hudson, the wife of Anna's father, Christopher Kepner, is also Timothy's mother. After his arrest, the 16-year-old was allowed to live with an uncle while wearing an electronic monitoring bracelet on his ankle. The case is expected to draw significant attention as Timothy Hudson faces trial as an adult on charges including sexual assault and first-degree murder. The judge is called to review the details of the case and determine the sentence to be imposed on the minor.