Carnival Cruise Murder: Evidence, Federal Charges, and Detention

The Carnival cruise murder case centers on Anna Marie Kepner, an 18-year-old from Titusville, Florida, who was found dead aboard the Carnival Horizon on November 7, 2025, her body concealed beneath a bed in the cabin she shared with her 16-year-old stepbrother. That stepbrother, Timothy Hudson, has been indicted in federal court on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse. He has pleaded not guilty, is being held in federal custody, and faces a possible life sentence if convicted. Trial is scheduled for September 2026 at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. Courthouse in Miami.¹

What Happened Aboard the Carnival Horizon

The Horizon was on a Caribbean itinerary out of Miami and was in international waters on the evening of November 6, 2025.² Anna, Hudson, and Anna’s 13-year-old brother were sharing a stateroom.

Prosecutors have laid out a timeline drawn from surveillance video, keycard swipes, and phone records. Security footage showed Anna and Hudson entering the cabin around 7:30 p.m. because Anna had an upset stomach. Her younger brother and two friends stopped in briefly around 7:45. She was still active on Snapchat at 8:14 p.m. Between that moment and 10:13 p.m., prosecutors say, Hudson sexually assaulted and strangled her. At 10:13 p.m., cameras caught Hudson poking his head out of the stateroom, looking both directions, and leaving. Anna never came out.³⁴

Around midnight, Anna’s 13-year-old brother tried to return to the cabin. Hudson blocked the door, told him he was “changing,” then let him in a few minutes later. The boy slept in the room that night with his sister’s body hidden beneath the bed. The following morning, Hudson roamed the ship carrying Anna’s phone, visiting a deck, a restaurant, and a jogging track before destroying the phone and throwing it away. A cruise employee later recovered it from a garbage collection area. At 11:24 a.m. on November 7, a cabin steward entered the room and discovered Anna’s body stuffed under the bed, wrapped in a blanket and hidden by a box of life vests.³⁵

The Evidence Against Timothy Hudson

The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the cause of death mechanical asphyxiation, most likely from a chokehold.⁶⁷⁵

The medical examiner also found evidence of sexual assault. Prosecutors said Anna’s underwear was “twisted and positioned on her genitals in a way that indicated she was sexually assaulted.” DNA from fluid recovered from her body matched a sample provided by Hudson. Investigators also tested another minor with whom Anna had sexual contact during the cruise; his DNA was excluded.⁴⁷

Anna’s toxicology report showed a therapeutic dose of butalbital, a sedative she had reportedly been taking for pain from her braces.⁴

Why the Case Is in Federal Court

Because the killing allegedly occurred in international waters, the case falls under the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States under 18 U.S.C. § 7. That statute gives federal prosecutors authority over crimes on U.S.-owned vessels outside any single state’s jurisdiction.⁸ The FBI’s Miami field office led the investigation with Carnival’s onboard security team.⁹

Hudson was initially detained as a juvenile after the ship returned to Miami on November 8, 2025. On April 13, 2026, a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida indicted him as an adult on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse.¹ Under the federal Juvenile Delinquency Act, a juvenile’s case can be transferred to adult court when the offense occurred after the defendant’s 16th birthday and involved a felony using or threatening physical force.¹⁰ Hudson pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on April 22, 2026, and requested a jury trial.¹¹

Released, Then Detained

The custody question moved twice. In February 2026, a federal magistrate judge released Hudson to his paternal uncle in Hernando County, Florida, on GPS monitoring.¹²¹³¹⁴

At a May 27, 2026 hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres declined to detain Hudson immediately, calling his age “a different animal” and saying that for a 20-year-old with the same facts, “I probably would have detained.”¹⁴ Two weeks later he reversed course. On June 10, 2026, Torres ordered Hudson into custody, finding “the government has established, by clear and convincing evidence, that no condition or combination of conditions of release will reasonably assure the safety of the community going forward.”¹⁵ The judge said the alleged first-degree murder and sexual assault of “a young woman and step-sister of the Defendant” were themselves sufficient grounds for detention.¹

Where the Case Stands Now

As of mid-June 2026, Hudson is being held at the Citrus County Jail for a court-ordered mental health evaluation. The U.S. Marshals Service is expected to transfer him to the juvenile facility at the Metro West Detention Center in Miami-Dade County no later than July 10, 2026. The judge ordered that he be allowed family visitation and internet access while detained.¹⁶

Trial is set for September 2026 in Miami. Hudson faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.¹

Who Anna Kepner Was

Anna was born on June 13, 2007, and grew up in Titusville. She was a varsity cheerleader, a gymnast since age two, a certified scuba diver, and a member of the youth group at The Grove Church, where she was baptized in May 2025. She was expected to graduate with the Class of 2026 from Temple Christian School and planned to join the U.S. Navy before pursuing a career as a K9 police officer.¹⁷ Her father, Christopher Kepner, has described her as “wonderful, beautiful, and outgoing.”¹⁸

1
NBC Miami. Florida Teen Charged in Stepsister’s Cruise Ship Murder Ordered Detained Until Trial
2
ABC News. Passenger Who Died on Carnival Cruise Ship Identified
3
Court TV. Stepbrother Roamed Cruise Ship After Killing Anna Kepner, Prosecutors Say
4
WFLA. New Documents Reveal Details in Anna Kepner’s Rape, Murder on Carnival Cruise Ship
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Fox 35 Orlando. Anna Kepner Update: Timeline, Witness Statements Night of Teen Girl’s Death
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U.S. Department of Justice. Titusville Teen Charged as Adult in Killing of Stepsister on Cruise Ship
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ClickOrlando. Ruptured Eardrums, Hidden Body: Graphic Details Emerge About Anna Kepner’s Killing
8
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S.C. § 7 – Special Maritime and Territorial Jurisdiction
9
CBS News. FBI Probing Stepsibling in Carnival Cruise Ship Death of Florida Teen Anna Kepner
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U.S. Department of Justice. Justice Manual – Juveniles
11
Fox 35 Orlando. Timothy Hudson Trial Date Set
12
NBC News. Judge Declines to Jail Teenager Accused of Killing Stepsister on Cruise Ship
13
WWNY TV. Teen Charged With Killing Stepsister on Carnival Cruise Could Be Jailed Until Trial
14
New York Post. Judge Issues Surprise Ruling in Cruise Ship Murder Case
15
Florida Today. Slain Titusville Teen’s Stepbrother Ordered Taken Into Federal Custody
16
New York Post. Stepbrother Accused of Killing Anna Kepner on Cruise Ordered to Jail Ahead of Trial
17
North Brevard Funeral Home. Anna Marie Kepner Obituary
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ABC News. Anna Kepner’s Dad Speaks as Stepbrother Awaits Trial