ANNA KEPNER CASE: STEPBROTHER’S MURDER TRIAL DELAYED AS FAMILY DYNAMIC COMPLICATES DEFENSE

MIAMI — The murder trial of Timothy Hudson, the 16-year-old stepbrother accused in the death of 18-year-old Anna Kepner aboard a Carnival cruise ship, has been delayed after his defense attorneys said they have struggled to interview certain members of his family.

Hudson’s trial had been scheduled to begin Sept. 8, 2026, but a federal judge has now moved the start date to Nov. 2. The defense requested the additional time, citing the seriousness of the charges and what attorneys described as a “unique — and very unfortunate — family dynamic.”

DEFENSE SAYS FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO REACH

According to the defense motion obtained by PEOPLE, attorneys said they have not had the level of access to certain family members needed to complete their investigation.

The identities of those family members were not disclosed.

The defense argues that the family situation has complicated its efforts to gather information that could become important if Hudson is convicted and faces sentencing.

Because Hudson was 16 at the time of the alleged offense, his attorneys say he would be entitled to a Miller hearing before any sentence involving life without parole could be imposed. Such a hearing allows the defense to present mitigating evidence about a juvenile defendant’s maturity, upbringing, family circumstances and potential for rehabilitation.

TRIAL NOW SET FOR NOVEMBER

The prosecution did not oppose the request for additional time.

Judge Beth Bloom granted the continuance and scheduled the trial for Nov. 2. The deadline for reaching a plea agreement was also pushed back to Oct. 23.

The trial is expected to take place in Miami, where the Carnival Horizon returned after Anna’s death.

WHAT HAPPENED TO ANNA KEPNER?

Anna Kepner was on a family cruise aboard the Carnival Horizon in November 2025 when she died.

According to court filings, Anna was sharing a cabin with Hudson and her younger brother. She was last seen returning to the cabin on the night of Nov. 6.

Her body was discovered underneath a bed the following morning.

The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office determined that her cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation and ruled the manner of death a homicide.

Federal prosecutors have accused Hudson of sexually assaulting and killing his stepsister. Hudson has pleaded not guilty and is being prosecuted as an adult.

A CASE WITH MORE QUESTIONS AHEAD

The case has already generated significant attention, including questions surrounding DNA evidence and the events inside the cruise-ship cabin.

Earlier court records revealed that investigators obtained DNA from another juvenile male who had allegedly had sexual contact with Anna during the cruise. Prosecutors said that individual was excluded as a contributor to the male DNA profile found in certain evidence.

Now, the defense has been given additional time to investigate Hudson’s background and prepare for a case that could carry an extremely serious sentence if he is convicted.

For Anna’s family, the delay means another wait for the courtroom proceedings to begin.

The trial that was once scheduled for September will now begin in November — nearly a year after Anna Kepner’s death aboard the family cruise.