Carnival Horizon in Naples in 2018. Archival ship photograph; not the incident. Photo: Carlo Mirante. CC BY 2.0.
Case Timeline & Updates
Awaiting first trialLatest development Oct 16, 2026 · Last checked Nov 2, 2026
The federal trial was moved to a two-week period beginning January 25, 2027. Timothy Hudson has pleaded not guilty.
- October 16, 2026 (reported) — WKMG reported that Judge Beth Bloom had moved the trial to the two-week period beginning January 25, 2027, following a defense request that prosecutors did not oppose. (WKMG: October trial postponement)
- April 21, 2026 (reported) — Hudson entered a not-guilty plea through his lawyer and waived appearance at the scheduled arraignment, according to the Associated Press. (Associated Press: not-guilty plea)
- April 13, 2026 — The adult prosecution was publicly announced after earlier juvenile proceedings. The charges were first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse. (WKMG: adult prosecution announced)
- November 2025 — Kepner was found dead in her cabin during a family cruise. Investigators subsequently pursued a federal criminal case. (WKMG: adult prosecution announced)
Entries distinguish event dates, report dates and routine source checks. Earlier milestones remain available as the case develops. Scheduled hearings are not reported as completed events.
Anna Kepner was 18 when a family cruise aboard the Carnival Horizon became the setting of her death. In November 2025, she was found dead in her cabin. The trip’s public story ended there; the investigation into what happened inside that room was only beginning.
The Miami-Dade medical examiner identified mechanical asphyxiation as the cause of death. Investigators focused on Anna’s stepbrother, Timothy Hudson, who had shared the stateroom with her. According to the account reported by WKMG, investigators said camera footage showed no one else entering or leaving the room during the relevant night. That is an investigative claim that the defense can contest, not a substitute for a verdict.
Behind a sealed case
The first prosecution was not fully visible to the public. Hudson was charged as a juvenile in February 2026, and the proceedings were sealed. The case became public in a different form after a judge ordered adult prosecution.
On April 13, authorities announced federal charges of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual abuse. The announcement made clear that investigators were treating Anna’s death as a killing, rather than an unexplained tragedy at sea.
That April also brought Hudson’s formal response. As the Associated Press reported on April 21, his lawyer entered a not-guilty plea and waived his appearance at the scheduled arraignment. The prosecution’s account would have to be tested through the court process.
The months before trial
By autumn, the case was moving toward trial, but the timetable changed again. WKMG reported on October 16 that Judge Beth Bloom had granted a defense request to postpone it. Prosecutors did not oppose the request. The new setting was a two-week period beginning January 25, 2027.
The court also had a January 15 plea deadline. That date does not mean a plea agreement exists. It marks a point on the calendar while Hudson continues to deny the charges.
Anna’s story now has two connected parts: the death in the cabin and the effort to establish responsibility for it. The medical finding explains how she died. The criminal case must determine who caused that death and whether the prosecution can prove its allegations. We will follow that distinction as the case approaches trial, keeping the original events visible alongside each new court decision.
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