Teen stepbrother accused in Anna Kepner’s death taken into federal custody until murder trial

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. (TCN) -- A federal judge has ordered a teen murder suspect into custody until his trial begins later this year, according to court records unsealed on June 15.

At a court appearance on May 27, the judge did not make a decision on whether 16-year-old Timothy Hudson, accused of sexually assaulting and killing his stepsister, Anna Kepner, could remain free or be jailed while awaiting trial. Hudson was initially charged as a minor and was able to live with relatives while being monitored electronically. The case was eventually transferred to adult court, and prosecutors requested he be jailed before trial. 

Kepner, 18, was traveling with her family on a Carnival cruise ship in November 2025 and was sharing a room with Hudson and another teen. Her body was found under the bed, and an autopsy revealed that her cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation. She had also been sexually assaulted.

According to court records unsealed on June 15, U.S. District Judge Edwin Torres wrote that Hudson “presents a danger to himself and to others that no curfew, monitor, or custodial placement can be trusted to contain,” NBC News reports.

In addition, Torres wrote that the allegations against Hudson possess “a level of psychopathy and lack of remorse that by itself raises a serious concern that Defendant can snap at any time, despite the well-meaning and serious efforts of his caretakers to make sure that does not happen.”

Per the order, Hudson was to turn himself into U.S. Marshals at a federal courthouse in Tampa, Florida, on the morning of June 15, The Guardian reports.

After Hudson was taken into custody, Kepner’s family released a statement, according to WFTV. It reads in part, “We would like to thank the FBI, the United States Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance in helping place the accused murderer of Anna Marie Kepner behind bars until trial. It was painful for our family to know that he had been free for as long as he was.

“We are now at peace knowing that he will not be able to harm anyone else while awaiting trial. Anna’s birthday was this past weekend, and we celebrated her life together as a family. While birthdays are never the same without her, we continue to honor her memory and cherish the love and joy she brought to our lives.”

Hudson has pleaded not guilty to all charges. According to NBC, he is behind bars in county jail and has until July 10 to be transferred to Miami, Florida. His trial is scheduled to begin in September. 

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